RWBY Heroes: Haven Lost
by Dunedan
Summary: The Battle for Beacon is over, the scars persisting into the days ahead. With their friends and allies, can the remnants of Team HERO, RWBY and others track down those responsible for the darkest night of their lives and stop past events from repeating themselves? Or will another safe haven for our heroes crumble to ash around them? Sequel to RWBY Heroes: Beacon Days.
1. Councils and Introductions

**Welcome back everyone! I am pleased to announce this story will become Volumes 4 and 5 encompassing the Haven Arc. This tale is still on hiatus while awaiting Volume 6, however due to popular demand I will release chapters not affected by later events slowly over time. Please bear in mind this will be few and far between until after Volume 6 concludes. RWBY Hero: Chibi will be posted today as well and I hope you find it a pleasant jaunt through comedic silliness. For this story, if you have been following since the beginning, be sure to read the author's note at the bottom for a pleasant surprise once you are done.**

 **For those of you just joining us, the first part of the tale of Team HERO can be found in my accompanying work: RWBY Heroes: Beacon Days. I suggest reading it first before this one.**

 **Beacon has fallen, the huntsman and huntresses divided as they recover from the ordeal. Far from the realms of humanity, one such former huntsman remains…divided between his own hopes and dreams…and those of the world.**

If there was an embodiment of evil, this place was surely as close as possible to attaining that status. It was the realm where Salem, the mistress of those who made war on Remnant resided. The entire terrain was a barren, rocky wasteland; even the sky was an unnatural magenta and blood red hue. Similarly colored purple crystals dotted the landscape seeming to have erupted violently from the ground long ago.

Grimm stalked the land…so many they appeared to be a black flood from afar and their numbers only grew.

All of this could be seen by Mercury and Emerald from the relative safety of the room in which they now stood. It was clearly a meeting hall, an immense table constructed of the same material as the crystals outside was the only furniture save the chairs scattered around it. Ominous crystals, each with a single candle atop acted as the room's only illumination.

With a snap of her finger Cinder beckoned the two back to her side, they swiftly complied with Emerald ensuring she was standing closer.

She had changed a great deal since her encounter with Ruby Rose. Much of her long flowing hair had been burned away in the same battle which also claimed her left eye and arm. She now wore a flowing dress in her favorite shade of red split at the hip on her right side to reveal black pantyhose-covered long legs. Only her right shoulder remained bare, a small keyhole opening revealed her tattoo; the opening was made specifically to reveal only that and nothing else of her back. She had intended to leave it out…but had been asked to do otherwise. Strapped to her right thigh was her usual charm of blue feathers now clasped together by a familiar black rhombus-shaped crystal, the only surviving remnant of her first gift.

A wide sleeve covered the entirety of her new left arm and hand with gold trim dancing along the length and across the rest of the dress. Her right arm was bare but had an elbow-length black glove covering it held up with a gold band near the shoulder. Her left eye was covered by a black mask, obscuring the damage that had been done; only a pair of scars protruding from it hinted at what lay beneath.

"Yes, yes, do try to keep your….posse in check," muttered the man sitting across from her, his voice dripping with smug contempt.

Mercury scowled, taking a step forward he was only stopped by Emerald before he had planned to put his foot through the man's head.

The new man was dressed like a gentleman sporting a long trench coat, fingerless gloves and a complete suit including tie. Aside from his well-kept hair his greatest feature would have to be his impressive mustache failing to hide the sneer creeping across his face.

"Do you hear that?" he asked towards the other two sitting at the table. "Silence, I've half a mind to thank the little girl that bested you."

"If I were you," the man sitting on the same side of the table as Cinder started. He was wearing a white sleeveless vest with matching pants. His brown hair was tied into a single long braid. He was not so much sitting in his chair as he was perched atop it like a gargoyle. "I would hunt her down, find her and…well…she took YOUR eye didn't she?

Cinder gritted her teeth and scowled as he proceeded to burst into hysterical laughter, clearly unable to control himself. She struggled to speak; barely succeeding in letting out a few whispered groans, the battle against Ruby had cost her much.

Before she could make a second attempt an absolute silence fell on the room as the barest of creeks signaled that someone was opening the main doors. Everyone present got to their feet instantly as they flew open.

She seemed to not be walking into the room but rather gliding. Her dress was shadows and darkness made manifest, pale moonlight skin contrasting completely against it. Across her arms and face were blood red veins so dark they bordered on black. Her hair was nearly indistinguishable in color from her skin and was split into six offshoot braids wrapped in black fabric. Where her eyes should have been white they were instead jet black, her iris' as red as Cinder's dress, like blood.

This was Salem whom all in the room idolized or feared, she did not even look at any of them as she entered, stopping at the head of the table facing the window.

"Watts," she began, finally turning to face them. "Do you find this malignance necessary?" As she finished only then did she motion her approval for them to be seated.

"I apologize ma'am, I'm not particularly fond of failure."

"Then I see no reason for your cruelty towards young Cinder," Salem's voice was calm and could be misunderstood as kind. In actuality all in the room knew a single wrong word could end in their demise. "She's become our Fall Maiden, destroyed Beacon Tower, secured the loyalty of the Guardian for the first time in our entire history, and most importantly…killed dear Ozpin."

She gave a motherly smile to Cinder as she finished the last part.

"So I'm curious," she snapped her head back in Watts' direction. "To what…'failures' are you referring?"

"Well, she failed to kill the false Maiden, and then there's the girl with the silver eyes."

"Yes," the fourth member of their council finally spoke up. He was a giant of a man with arms like tree trunks. "We've dealt with her kind before, how is it a novice was able to best one of us?"

"My thoughts exactly," Watts continued. "Even without her new powers it should have been effortless."

"It is BECAUSE of that power," Salem explained. "The false Maiden is of no further concern to us, but make no mistake Cinder; you hold the key to our victory. However, your newfound strength brings with it a crippling weakness. This is why you will remain by my side during your treatment as well as…additional assurances to keep you from harm."

Cinder raised her eyebrow, clearly uncertain to what Salem was implying.

"I have a gift for you." Salem raised a hand and snapped her fingers; heavy footfalls could be heard from the hallway. Everyone in the room turned as the newcomer entered.

He wore heavy plate armor from head to toe; it was thick but still form fitting and did plenty to exhume an aura of dread from him despite his relatively average size. The armor was a pure black coloration with gold patterns going up the arms and down the back. The shoulders were curved and quite thick, upon them and the breastplate was an insignia of two burnt red high-heeled slippers pressed together into the shape of a heart, the same mark that adorned Cinder's back. Over his shoulders was slung a deep red cloak that swayed behind him.

He bore a helmet in a similar fashion to the old knights of Vale though the eye slit was instead replaced with a Nevermore-winged faceplate. Currently, he kept it shut tight, denying any glimpse of his face.

"Thank you for coming…Ember," Salem addressed him politely. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cinder start to rise from her seat in surprise…catching herself at the last moment and easing back down. "We have been far too long in inviting you to our councils. Please, step forward."

The armored knight approached Salem, immediately falling to one knee before her. "You do me honor," his deep voice echoed, amplified by the helmet.

Watts had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes for fear of immediate reprisal.

"You are the Guardian of this generation," Salem announced. "And behind you sits our Fall Maiden. As is your duty do you swear to protect her from all danger for as long as you are bid?"

The knight crossed his right hand balled tightly into a fist over his heart.

"Even was it not my duty, I would protect the Lady Cinder from all harm until my dying breath…of this I swear."

Watts had to restrain himself again.

"Then she is doubly blessed to have you by her side."

Salem glanced at Cinder; she was watching the young man kneeling on the ground with a proud smile upon her face. Clearly, she was pleased with his selfless proclamation though Salem was sure she saw the hint of a blush.

 _He had a greater impact on her than I believed, to think you still harbored such emotions little one…_

"Then rise," she concluded. "Take your place among us. I hereby dub you, her Guardian…her Knight of Cinders."

Ember rose to his feet, with wide powerful strides he walked past the open seats at the table, taking his place at Cinder's right side, Emerald and Mercury standing to her left.

"Dr. Watts," Salem commanded. "You are to take Cinder's place and meet with our informant in Mistral."

"Very good."

"Tyrian," this time she referred to the man hunched over his seat. "You are to continue your search for the Spring Maiden."

"Gladly," he sneered, rubbing his hands together, he was practically giddy.

"Do restrain yourself." Salem cautioned, fully aware of Ember's lineage. "If the Spring Maiden is still indeed the Lady Magnolia I want no harm to befall her."

Tyrian frowned but nodded obediently.

"And Hazel," she looked at the burly man to her right. "I'm sending you to the leader of the White Fang. Adam Taurus has arranged a meeting. The boy continues to prove loyal. Ensure that Sienna Khan feels the same."

"As you wish."

Cinder raised her hand, signaling she wished to speak. Emerald started to lean down but Ember beat her to it. She slowly and quietly whispered in his ear as best she could.

 _How elated the boy must be to hear her…melodious voice again in any form._ Salem chuckled internally. _His rage at the injuries she had sustained when he first arrived all those months ago was quite…intoxicating._

"She wishes to know," Ember started, standing back up to his full height. "What are our plans in regard to Ruby?"

"What about her?" Watts scoffed. "Seems to me she is Cinder's problem…not ours."

"Clearly your intelligence has been greatly over exaggerated, or at least your common sense," Ember turned towards Watts. "Your…our Goddess just announced how Cinder is the key to victory, yet you see no problem in letting a girl with her greatest weakness roam free. Perhaps we should have brought in Dr. Merlot."

Tyrian stifled another cackling laugh.

Watts scowled at Ember's faceplate; he did not like being talked down to. Neither saw a smile briefly flutter across Cinder's face.

"That is enough," Salem boomed, interrupting the two. They both relaxed and abandoned their verbal sparring with a polite bow. "Tyrian…"

"Yes my lady?"

"Spring can wait…find the girl that did this to Cinder…"

Tyrian's face lit up like the sun as he merrily clapped his hands together."

"Find her…and bring her to me."

Tyrian's smile immediately deflated once more, a look of sheer disappointment taking its place as he slumped down into his seat. He glumly nodded his understanding of her commands.

"And Ember," she turned to Cinder's side. "Before you fully take up your position as Guardian you will accompany Tyrian to acquire the girl. I imagine she would make quite the gift for your Maiden…no?"

Ember paled at the request beneath his helmet, hesitantly he turned to Cinder who replied with a single head nod, he had known her long enough to tell she was boiling inside. Were it not for Salem's presence half the room would likely be aflame.

 _There are always alternatives._

"I…trust milady's protection in her own hands as well as your Grace's presence until I return," he announced, bowing low once more towards Salem.

"Then collect your provisions and be off. I expect your departure within the hour…I hear Mistral is lovely this time of year. Beacon has fallen…and before this year is done Haven will be next. Doctor…I will speak with you."

All present at the table stood to take their leave save for Watts. Tyrian had started laughing maniacally as he was wont to do, no doubt picturing the carnage and mayhem he would unleash seeking the girl with the Silver Eyes. He could not kill her…but Salem had not said a word about her companions.

Ember caught up with Cinder, Emerald and Mercury in a corridor not far from the meeting room.

"May I speak with Cinder…privately," he requested. Cinder nodded to her disciples, giving them leave to depart, leading Ember to a nearby terrace overlooking the grounds for added privacy. The shattered moon was shining bright in the sky above.

"I will bring her here…for you," he assured her, removing his identity-obscuring helmet and laying it aside. "But please, I BEG of you to spare her, consider it while I am away. After that is finished I will stand by your side against any who would dare to try and harm you again…we will find a way just like we promised."

Cinder stared past him looking down slightly, not making eye contact. It infuriated him; she had been this way since she recovered…a shadow of her former self. Her previous vigor and confidence was gone to be replaced by a sullen cold with frustrated rage bubbling beneath; she had never known such a defeat. The Cinder he had truly met at the fall of Beacon would never have let Watts speak to her in such a manner. He reached out to take her hand.

She snapped it back before he could reach as she had done many times since her recovery, hiding it beneath her wide left sleeve. At the same time, she subtly pressed down the patch of hair she had styled to obscure the left half of her face and the mask beneath. Was she ashamed of the replacement arm Salem and Merlot had worked on? It made sense to hide it from her enemies to be used as a secret weapon…but from her allies…from him? Did she think it was hideous? He supposed it did not matter.

Ember was through acquiescing; he hadn't earned the feelings Cinder harbored for him because he was meek.

With unexpected speed he stepped closer, hands wrapping gently around her face. Cinder somewhat pulled back but not with much effort, her right hand raised to push him away…yet hesitated. Her Maiden powers flared and anger burned on her face for a heartbeat before receding at the concerned, determined, loving look he was giving her. He had seen her since the battle months ago beneath the bandages, her arm, her eye...the entire left side of her body and the reason she had modified her dress to cover it. He had told her many times, but now he needed to show her that such…physical changes did not matter to him; they didn't change how he felt.

Still cradling her face he pulled the Fall Maiden closer, removing her obsidian-glass mask with the utmost care and laying it beside his discarded helm. Risking annihilation itself, he brushed her hair aside to place a tender kiss upon the left half of her face despite the scarred and mangled tissue found there. Cinder froze solid, her remaining eye open in shock from the boldness of his actions, the fires of her Maiden abilities spiked with her heartbeat. Every instinct in her body honed from years of Salem's tutelage commanded her to push him back…she ignored them. After a purposefully drawn out moment, Ember broke the kiss and stepped back, opening his eyes to lock onto hers again.

"We will become stronger…so strong that no one will be able to challenge us, not Ozpin, not the Grimm or Huntsman, not even S-."

Before he could finish, Cinder wrapped her arms around him, pulling Ember into a strong passionate kiss. He reciprocated gladly, lifting her slightly off the ground as he held her close, the vigor betraying their mutual need for it. Ember ran his fingers through her hair, savoring the sensation on his hands again. The moment was perfect; he almost didn't feel Cinder drop something small and light into one of his pouches.

Mercury and Emerald, who had been watching for when they finished, immediately spun on their heels, suddenly becoming fascinated with the unique architecture of the building.

After a self-contained eternity of holding the embrace they parted, he stared into her remaining beautiful amber eye, neither wanting to let go.

"Thank…you," Cinder croaked out, barely loud enough for her knight to hear. But he was the only one who needed to. He would miss her on the long journey through Mistral with Tyrian, if only they had more than an hour...

 _Emerald, Mercury…sorry but you'll have to keep her safe a little longer until I return._

 **Back in the Throne Room…**

 **"** What are your thoughts on the boy?"

"Despite your training, he does not believe in our cause," Watts analyzed. "Much like her little gang his loyalty is second-hand through our Fall Maiden."

"That is nothing new," Salem dismissed. "Hazel is the same through his hatred of Ozpin is he not?"

"Too true ma'am, however his muse is dead, no chance of her giving him fresh ideas."

"The line of Guardians has been a thorn in my side protecting the Maidens for generations," Salem explained, glancing out the window across her domain. "To have one so willingly join us was…unprecedented."

"He truly believes he loves her," Watts sighed in disgust; he could not stand such ridiculous notions. "More likely it is nothing more than the attraction of his Guardian powers to those of the Maiden essence within Cinder."

Salem smiled somewhat as if she found his discomfort with the topic amusing. "Not a romantic doctor?"

Watts scowled slightly at that comment. "Not in the slightest ma'am. I know how most men think. True our Guardian Knight is more 'noble' than most, but that just makes it all the easier to make him ours. In the off chance he does decide to go against us that suit of armor I designed for him is more than enough insurance."

"Oh?" Salem sounded intrigued, it was the first he had mentioned it to her. "Go on."

"The metal is from a meteor that fell centuries ago, it is quite heavy, even Hazel would move like a snail while wearing it. I still do not understand how the boy can move so expertly in it, another mystery of the Guardian no doubt."

"No doubt."

"You see, the armor when worn in its entirety is a closed circuit, at the touch of a button I can lock up every joint it has completely. Unless he has secrets that we have not yet gleamed even he should not be able to move. If the lad turns against us, his armor will become his tomb."

Salem's smile widened. "Excellent, then let us hope such thoughts do not enter his mind. Young Cinder is quite…fond of the boy, I would hate for anything to befall him. If all works in our favor, we can even control the next line of Guardians for generations to come. It is far more reliable than the Maiden selection process."

"Understood," Watts cringed internally. He was well aware of what an asset the Guardian could be to their cause now and down the line, but the thought of Cinder as a mother still unnerved him.

Salem leaned back in her chair. Between the fall of Beacon and the death of Ozpin, it would be some time before she had to think of him again, there was no one left who could stop them.

 **The pursuit begins; Tyrian and Ember begin their hunt for Ruby at the behest of both their Goddesses. Will the young huntress be able to stay ahead of them? As always Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**

 **For those following my stories, a commission was recently completed of a scene from this very chapter. To find it, simply search "A Fallen Knight's Devotion" By AzaryaS on DeviantArt, I am also making it the cover art for this story. How well she captured the idea for the scene cannot be praised enough**


	2. One Step at a Time

**Another update before Volume 6! Despite wanting to wait…I cannot help but continue the story of Team HERO as much as I can lol. I will start responding to reviews here before each chapter.**

 **Constipated Genius: Thankfully, the armor does come off, otherwise that'd be very awkward lol. He just has no idea of its sinister purpose as an insurance policy against him while wearing it…**

 **Lelouch of Zero: Horatio knows that Ruby would never have shot him on purpose, though he did witness what her Silver Eyes did to Cinder…and how it changed her from the woman he met.**

 **C0rrupted1: Lol, yea, I put that picture up not even thinking that it'd be a spoiler if people noticed. xD Don't worry, the road through Mistral is long and gives much time for…reflection. Not the name Ember as that I chose that to reflect his loyalty to Cinder…but Knight of Cinders was indeed a Dark Souls reference and felt very fitting for the situation.**

 **Batomys2731: I am so glad you like the relationship built between them. (Glances back and forth) Horatio?...Ember does not know this…Horatio…(glances back and forth) xD. Indeed, despite everything she's done, all he wants is to keep her safe and prevent anything like the fall from happening again.**

 **Amelia: I've seen your reviews dating back to my original work but could never respond due to you being a guest (wish I had thought of responding this way sooner lol), but I wanted to say your reviews and enjoyment of my story is so appreciated! I hope to never disappoint. :) And on that note…onto the story!**

Olivia twiddled her thumbs, she had been sitting in that tree almost an hour. She should have been back by now. The uneasy sniper adjusted the body armor she had adopted since departing from Patch. It was more cumbersome, but that was for the added protection it offered. She wore a sleeveless vest woven from thick fibers specifically made to resist Grimm claws and teeth. Her arms were bare, but that was mostly due to the warm climate as it would have been unbearable otherwise. Her trousers were equally solid with a sturdy belt full of pouches all in the same camouflage color scheme of her previous gear.

Olivia had not been able to cut her hair in some time and it was showing. Her bangs had to be styled to stay out of her eyes, the ponytail was much larger but that wasn't what had her uneasy. Almost half of her hair was now a platinum-silver coloration and she found another strand or two extra each day. Up until then, she had managed to convince everyone it was from stress but that wouldn't hold up much longer.

 _ **The pacifist sniper friend of yours might not have made it.**_

"She made it," she muttered to herself despite the fact it was not necessary. "We just have to wait."

 _ **I'm good at that, do you know how unbearable being unheard for years can be with nothing to do in this boring space between your ears?**_

"I'd prefer you go back to being just there."

 _ **Aw, now why is that? I thought we could be friends. Besides, doesn't the idea of having someone else watch your back put a…smile on your face?**_

Olivia's attention shot down to the limb she was sitting on. She had been completely unaware that her left hand had been carving a smiley face into the wood. Reflexively she clenched her fist, more troubled than she had been before.

"Iiiiiinccoommmming!" She heard a familiar red-hooded huntress in the distance as she came barreling through the nearby trees. A whirlwind of red rose petals preceded the collapse of trees behind her. Even from the distance she was, Olivia could see it coming.

Ruby was moving through a combination of her semblance and momentum from Crescent Rose though it was just for show. Since setting out, she kept it loaded with blanks, powerful enough to propel her through the air, but not enough to harm a fly.

 _She is still blaming herself…_

Behind her was the monstrous form tearing down the forest in its pursuit of the young huntress. It was as tall as the trees; Olivia spotted what she thought was a boulder hurtling towards Ruby, only to realize it was in fact a limb of the colossal titan.

 _You've gotta be kidding me! Was this thing at a rock quarry when she caught up to it?_

Ruby leapt through the trees, there's no way she'd reach the kill zone in time at that pace. She'd have to get closer and hope the others could keep it busy while she located its weak point.

She had to be quick…

 **Farmstead in Mistral…**

The young boy shot up in his bed, panting heavily with sweat pouring down his face. The nightmare again, that was the third time this week. He could never recall all of the details, just something about fire…and darkness all around him and a laughter that cut him to the bone. Fortunately it always faded given time, by breakfast it would be out of his head.

At least this time it seemed to have held off waking him until morning, he could spot the sun shining through the barn window. He had even beaten the rooster, maybe he could finish a little early. Sliding down the ladder from the loft which he called his room, he threw open the doors and looked over the acres surrounding his aunt's house and barn. It was hard work, but he felt a great sense of accomplishment for what he did.

His aunt would no doubt be getting up soon to have food ready; it was up to him during that time to make sure everything was shipshape. He got to work, watering the crops, ploughing the portions that were his responsibility and finally feeding the animals. To his dismay, he noticed another chicken missing...tracks led away into the woods. It was the third that week.

 _I need to find who is doing this..._

At long last he had completed his tasks and dragged himself towards the main house. The fresh smell of breakfast assailed his nose as he opened the door, all of his work was finally about to pay off.

"Perfect timing Oscar," a dark-haired woman welcomed him. She was sitting across from a steaming plate of eggs, bacon and other assorted breakfast staples. The boy hopped into the chair, greedily digging in with only a nod of thanks and a wide smile on his face.

"Fhe chikhins were a little on…"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Oscar hastily chewed his current food and swallowed quickly. "The chickens were a little on edge today," he explained again much clearer. "I found another missing leading off away from the farm."

"Oh no," his aunt groaned. "Was it a Grimm or bandits?"

"I couldn't tell, none of the traps were sprung and the tracks were muddled," Oscar leaned back, taking quick bite of bacon.

"Be sure to stay away from the woods for the next few days," she warned.

"But...but we can't keep losing livestock like this!" Oscar stressed. "I can check it out, I can..."

"It is too dangerous, it's not like we're hurting for food," his aunt asserted. After what happened at Beacon and the rest of Mistral…bringing back a missing chicken or ten wouldn't be worth it if anything happened to you."

Oscar couldn't argue with her, not after what they'd heard. Even the rare information that came through sounded bad with Grimm attacks, White Fang and bandits taking advantage of both. He had to agree that remaining around the farm could be for the bes…

A loud knock at the door broke his thought process. "I'll get it," he volunteered, hopping up to his feet.

 _Hanz and the other hands got here early, maybe they can think of what to..._

Oscar froze as he pulled open the wooden door, it was definitely not Hanz.

The man standing outside was about six feet tall armored from head to toe in a type of black steel. His face was obscured by an equally dark helmet that had…wings? The breastplate was mostly covered by a wide cloak though a heart-emblem he was unfamiliar with could barely be seen beneath. The young farmhand stood unmoving at the intimidating sight before him. The weapon on his back was enormous…

The armored warrior started chuckling behind his helmet, his voice reverberating loudly and drawing his aunt to the door.

"I did not mean to scare thee, my apologies," his speech was quite odd to Oscar whose fear had now been replaced by confusion. "I was hoping that a friend of mine may be staying here or perhaps passed by."

"Who…is your friend?" His aunt asked, lowering her voice to a more sultry tone, brushing the bangs from her face.

"An old classmate," he boomed, though his voice held no malice. "She is fond of red combat skirts, black hair with red tips, carries a large scythe…wouldn't be much older than this one." He motioned towards Oscar with his gauntleted hand. "She would have been with several others."

"I'm afraid no one like that's come by," she assured him. "Though it's early in the day, if you stay…maybe for dinner, perhaps they will show up."

Oscar silently groaned.

"That is a generous offer ma'am; however I am afraid my associate is not a…people person."

Glancing out past the armored shoulders, Oscar spotted another man standing at the far end of the road. He was taller and sleeker than their visitor with a single long braided ponytail going down past his waist. They couldn't tell for certain from the distance, but he seemed to be smiling in such a way that felt…wrong.

"Also, they would have been in a rush, huntress work and the like. I wish you both a good day." Nodding his head as if tipping a hat, the stranger turned, starting down the path away from the farm.

"If…" Oscar's aunt started. "If your friend is a huntress, there were some bandit warnings reported in Shion village before the CCT Tower went down. It is quite a ways off on foot, but perhaps they went there seeking work."

"That is greatly appreciated," the knight bowed low, his cloak flapping in the breeze. "You have my sincerest thanks ma'am."

"Please, call me Melanie, don't be a stranger if you pass by again."

Oscar rolled his eyes as he aunt swooned at the stranger's words. His heart rate was just now getting back to normal. It wasn't so much the newcomer that caused his spine to shiver…but the eerie distant smile of his traveling companion. Somehow, despite never having seen the heart-shaped emblem before, Oscar could not shake the feeling that it looked familiar.

 **Down the Road…**

"Well?" Tyrian asked as his armored ally returned. "Do they know anything I can…coerce from them?"

"No, they do not as I told you," he replied flatly as he motioned to continue along the path. "There is some activity in a village a few days out. We can continue looking there and en route."

Tyrian giggled, barely restraining himself. Taking one final glance behind he looked over the quaint farm, burning it to memory in the off chance the village didn't pan out and he'd have to return. He added it to the list.

Salem's servant had donned a large trench coat, it was best to look as inconspicuous as possible when traveling the Mistral countryside. Ember stood out far more, though with his antiquated-looking armor beneath his wide cloak, most passersby seemed to be mistaking him for a Huntsman donned in armor reminiscent of the beasts they hunt. They had no idea it was in fact to instill the image of his Maiden in all that knew her.

"So, which ones do you want?" The unsettling man muttered once they had gotten a fair distance away. "When we find them."

"We are only here for Ruby, remember she is to be unharmed." Tyrian slumped his shoulders acting as if Ember had said nothing he could have chalked any error up to forgetfulness. The sneer returned soon enough to his face.

"She'll only be unharmed until we get her back to YOUR mistress. I am sure she will be quite grateful and willing to shower all of her good graces upon you like she did before we left…"

Ember turned, gripping Tyrian's collar and pinning him to a nearby tree, cracking its trunk slightly from the impact. His eyes burned behind his helmet, even Tyrian could sense it.

"Do…NOT…talk about Cinder like that EVER again. Salem only needs ONE set of eyes on the road."

Tyrian raised his hands defensively, still smiling all the while as if he did not take the threat seriously. "Of course of course, I had no ill intent. After all we both serve the same Goddess in the end. If my lady spent as much time with me as yours did I could die a happy man."

Ember released Tyrian and continued their path forward, Shion village was quite far, and they would have to travel with little rest to reach there in a reasonable amount of time.

"So…how did you join our merry band?" Tyrian asked, surprisingly composed as if he were truly curious. "Her Grace did not deem to tell us."

Ember glanced over surprised, deciding to humor him while they were stuck traveling together, he looked up at the sun as he thought back.

 **Months ago…**

Horatio Soplar paced outside the door, a chair had been provided for him but he could not use it. The doctor had been working on her for almost three hours with no updates to her condition, any longer and he would go mad!

His own injuries had already been tended, from what Watts explained he'd been unconscious for a week of treatments and was commanded to stay in bed but there was no chance of that. He did not trust a single person here, the only ones he felt at least had Cinder's best interests in mind were Emerald and Mercury to an extent. If Emerald had not volunteered to assist Dr. Watts he would have forced his way inside long ago. His chest still burned from the wound and it hurt to breathe too deeply even after he'd reconstituted his aura…but he pushed it aside.

The lock clicked, snapping Horatio towards the door as it slid open revealing Dr. Watts and Emerald.

"She…will make it," he confirmed. Horatio pulled the man into a bear hug before he said another word, thankful beyond words.

"And?" He asked after backing away.

"As you well know, her injuries were extreme. While I commend your attempt at first-aid there was nothing to be done. Her left eye was unsalvageable. Her throat was also badly maimed, particularly the vocal cords; I estimate it will be some time before she can fully speak again. I am also uncertain as to when exactly she will awaken…even with her injuries I would have expected her to regain consciousness by now."

Horatio looked shaken but much of what was said he had expected.

 _But she's alive._

"I will discuss with her Grace what we can do about her lost arm though there is no further risk of infection. For now she absolutely must remain in bed while she regains the energy to rebuild her aura. Her healing will be expedited once that is done. She will also need assistance with all daily activities including food and water." With those final words Dr. Watts took his leave and started down the hall eager to wash his hands.

Horatio stepped into the room, it was smaller than he imagined. There was an ornate glass window overlooking the unnatural landscape with a single bed near it in which Cinder now lay. A chair was in the corner near a wooden desk he couldn't imagine would see much use. The chamber was lit by a series of candles perched atop the eerie purple crystals. There was a bookshelf but it was empty, Horatio hoped she would be moved to nicer accommodations after she recovered.

Cinder was sleeping as soundly as possible; she was bandaged from the waist up as well as the left side of her face. Her remaining arm was lying at her side flexing randomly as if she were dreaming.

"Did they give you a room?" Emerald asked with a yawn, she looked exhausted.

"Yea, but it's on the other side of the Keep so I doubt I'll be using it very much," Horatio replied, pulling the chair towards the wall closer to Cinder's bed. "I'll watch over her tonight, you get some rest. I can basically fall asleep anywhere. If….when she wakes up I can get her breakfast."

Emerald looked him up and down; clearly she did not trust him yet. He couldn't blame her; they had been enemies until recently. After how she and her team had pulled the wool over their eyes so totally at Beacon he couldn't say he trusted her either.

"I'll be back in the morning," she advised almost as a threat. "I'll be the one assisting her with most of the daily routines…like changing her bandages."

 _What kind of men have you met to think that low of me?_

As Emerald left the room with a wide stretch of her arms, Horatio got to work finding a comfortable position to sleep in. The desk was not large enough to lay his head down on and was much too hard. As much as he would have liked leaning against the bed, if Cinder did awaken she would likely kill him. In the end he settled for a slouched sitting position. After a short while his eyes started to feel heavy as he drifted off to sleep despite the awkward arrangement.

He did not know how long he had slept, but was jolted awake like a bullet. The room was noticeably colder, even in the dark room the ambiance appeared…too dark. He could see a great shadow looming over the bed, twin red eyes burning at the sleeping girl in the night. Lighting one of the nearby candles he focused on the form.

It was her.

"Oh, I am sorry for waking you," Salem apologized as her visage was revealed. "I thought you would be in your own room, are the accommodations not to your liking?"

Horatio calmed himself before answering the woman who even Cinder feared.

"I cannot answer that," he replied truthfully. "I have not seen my accommodations since I was allowed to walk the keep. You must be Cinder's…mother?"

Salem tilted her head at his statement. "Is that what she called me?"

"Once," he confirmed, remembering their discussion by the cliffs of Beacon. "When the discussion of family came up."

"How precious, she has never called me such a title in person. Is that why you are here despite standing with my enemies not so long ago, you consider Cinder family as well?"

"Why was the attack on Beacon necessary?" He dared to ask and avoid the awkward question. "I want to understand."

"I may see fit to explain the circumstances of our conflict. But only if you are more first honest with me boy. Why...are you here, in this room specifically?"

"I-I merely felt more at ease here to ensure Cinder's safety."

Salem chuckled as if he had told a whimsical joke. "She is absolutely safe here. No one would dare enter my domain unbidden…after yourself of course. This is the safest place in all of Remnant."

 _Except from you._

"Even so, as long as it does not…displease your Grace, I would prefer to sleep here." Horatio sighed in relief at remembering the title Watts had used in reference to her.

Salem looked him over, resting her chin on her hand in thought as she glided about the room.

"I see no harm in it," she finally replied with a smile. "It would do well for our Maiden and Guardian to become more acquainted with one other."

Horatio glanced up at Salem sheepishly. "You know about that?"

"Dear boy, I have been facing Guardians for a VERY long time. I know how to tell when I have one in my midst just as surely as you'll be able to tell a Maiden in yours, in time."

"So what now then?"

"You are no threat in this place even if you meant to be one. I cannot say if my agents could have found young Cinder in time to save her from her injuries without you. That alone has earned you the right to not be judged by the poor decisions of your predecessors."

Horatio swallowed hard, being in front of her was intimidating. He had a feeling even his abilities would not help him here. Had Cinder told her everything about him?

"You may think of this keep as your home for the time being," Salem continued. "The entire first floor is yours to do with as you will, but do not attempt to access any above or the castle beyond…it is forbidden. Also it is best to not venture outside, my Grimm may not be so kind unless I have given you leave or am with you." Horatio nodded his understanding of the restrictions. "Is there anything you desire at this time?"

"I…just wish to ensure she recovers as quickly as possible." He stood to his full height, adopting some of the over the top archaic speech mannerisms he acquired when nervous. "I could not prevent this, I won't fail her again."

Salem eyed him up and down, no doubt analyzing every fiber of his being as her gaze looked through his body and soul.

"You truly love her."

Horatio held his composure; unnerved by how well he was acting on the outside, he had changed more than he cared to admit.

"No need to answer, it was not a question."

Salem glided around the bed until she was directly in front of him, his feet had turned to ice the moment he'd first seen her and would not move. Slowly and with surprising gentleness she embraced him, cupping the back of his head like a child's. Her sleeves were so large they almost completely encompassed Horatio in their folds.

"Welcome…to the family."

 **Present Day…**

"That," Ember admitted to Tyrian. "Is a long story."

 **Patch…**

Roland slowly climbed the steps with a food tray in hand. He made sure to avoid the second step from the top, that one was always so squeaky it could wake the entire household. Too many times he had fallen prey to that board.

He stopped at the door towards the end of the 2nd floor hall, checking his scroll he saw that it was two minutes to seven in the morning, he had a moment to spare. He hadn't even seen her since the first day awake when she'd ordered him from her room, was Yang still avoiding him? He knew she'd need time from the get go…but it still hurt all the same.

The tray in his hands had a single plate with a bacon omelette pre-cut with a side of toast and juice. With the snow having recently melted, he had been able to pluck a fresh sunflower for the first time in weeks and had it sitting in a small glass partially filled with water. It would keep it vibrant until she moved it into the larger vase within.

 _7:00...Game face_

"Room service!" He called out as the time struck seven exactly, rapping on the door several times with the back of his hand. "Chatteau de Roland is open!"

"Thank you," came a weak response from within. He waited outside the door several seconds but there was no further reply. As usual, she wouldn't open the door to retrieve the food until he was out of sight.

"Anytime!" He called back, doing his best to retain the chipper tone of voice as he laid the tray in front of the door. "The kitchen is always open!" With noticeably slower steps, he retreated back down the stairs, uncaring at the annoying squeak of the step that plagued his stay at Patch.

Finding the kitchen, Yang's father Taiyang, or Tai for short, and Pyrrha were already nearly finished with their meal while his own sat there still hot but untouched. Throwing a smile to them, he took a seat and dug in.

"How's uh…" Tai started, doing his best to act nonchalant. "How's she doing?"

"She…sounded better," he replied, reaching for any positive he could think of as the young man picked at his food. "A few octaves louder, that's a good sign."

Tai nodded his understanding, swallowing the final bite of his food before taking his dish to the sink. "I'll get yours too Pyrrha."

"Thank you Mr. Xiao Long," Pyrrha pushed away from the table and stood, a loud clunk accompanied her steps.

Among the gifts left behind by Esmerelda was what at glance looked like a silver boot up to just below the knee filled with fluid. It was a variation of the sleeve Roland had worn himself to deal with his broken arm. It seemed to be helping, yet Pyrrha was still unable to put any real weight on her heel without it. The technological prowess of Atlas was far less effective dealing with an injury caused by a Maiden. Despite the restricted movement she could achieve without pain, Pyrrha was never idle. If she wasn't helping Tai around the house she was meditating in the yard or doing limited exercises to keep in shape. Roland joined her to keep in practice and occasionally try to catch a glimpse of Yang from her window, so far he had been unsuccessful.

"I can help sir," Roland offered, approaching the sink with his own plate once he had inhaled his food.

"That won't be necessary," Tai shot him down. "You just go out and do…whatever."

"It's no problem," Roland pushed. In all the time since arriving at Patch he had done virtually nothing but practice and meditate. Talking to Yang through her door had become more one-sided as of late. He had planned to work on his shield a dozen times, yet once he actually saw it split in two...the drive left him. He didn't want to face it, at least not yet. "I did a bunch of housework back home; dishes, laundry, yard work, babysitting. I could even walk Zwei, put me to work sir!"

Tai sighed at his words, sounding quite frustrated. It was painfully obvious he was trying not to look at the young huntsman.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes…I mean no…well yes," he corrected himself several times before turning around to lean against the sink.

"Considering we are stuck together for the duration sir," Roland swallowed hard. The two had been tiptoeing around each other since he got there; if they would have any chance of not killing each other by the end…they had to talk. "I'd feel better if you just tell me what's wrong, I can take it."

"Just, look at it from my perspective kid," he started, eerily calm. "I send my little girls off to Beacon to become huntresses, one of the most dangerous professions in the world. I know they can handle it; I prepared them as best I could...no issue. I get updates sure, they are good girls and they keep in touch with their old man."

Roland nodded with Tai's assertions; he knew full well Ruby especially used her scroll to call home as often as she could to the point the battery never lasted.

"Then, I watch Yang get accused of assault mid-match during the tournament, and before I can even do anything about it all chaos breaks loose and my…" he paused as if to prevent his voice from breaking. "My girl shows up home missing an arm, acting more withdrawn than I've ever seen her...with a boy she's been dating nearly a year whose name I didn't even know. How would you feel?"

 _Left out? Frustrated? Angry? Confused?_

"Hurt," Roland answered truthfully. It took every ounce of willpower not to look away. "I should have talked to you sir, I should…"

"Neither of you did kid, I just want to know why."

Roland sighed, leaning forward onto the table for support. "We meant no disrespect, we just…we thought we had more time."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Yang is amazing, I have no other word for it," Roland tried to articulate his thoughts as best he could. "I just...didn't want to shake things up, push her away just when I was getting to know her. The only reason my parents even met her was because my sisters stabbed me in the back." He chuckled, stopping upon realizing he was the only one. "My point is...I wanted to make sure I was worthy to introduce myself to you considering how I met her mother..."

Tai took a step back, eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"You met Raven?"

"Briefly, she saved my life and made," he paused to choose his words carefully. "Shall we say, a strong incentive that I should get stronger to prove myself to Yang. Especially after the fight sir...I still have a long way to go."

Tai's eyes narrowed somewhat as his features softened at the statement, with how mature Yang acted, he often forgot she was still just a seventeen year old girl. He was her old man, as if she would come running to him about her first boyfriend. He couldn't remember how long it'd taken to approach his family about Raven. How did she get to meet Yang's first crush before him?

"My family met Yang at the Vytal Festival, it wasn't fair to you sir." Stepping around the table, Roland bowed before Tai causing him to shirk back at his actions. "Mr. Xiao Long…if you will have me, I would be honored to have your blessing to court Yang going forward."

Tai just stared at him, Roland was bowing at nearly a forty-five degree angle, face down and locked on the floor. This was the same kid who, with no hesitation whatsoever, had offered to literally give up his arm for her only a few weeks past.

"Get up kid," Tai finally ordered, unable to stand the sight of someone halfway down on their knees in front of him. "Grab a towel, I am pretty sure her opinion is what matters most…but you can earn your way to an answer by drying some dishes for me."

 **Anima Forest…**

"Bad…landing…strategy!" Ruby shouted in between each branch she struck on the way down from the tree, the enormous Grimm still on her tail.

The golem towering over the trees made of massive boulders was a Geist Grimm, a rather unorthodox breed that could possess inanimate objects to use as its body. The only sign that it was in fact a Grimm was the giant one-eyed mask infused to its chest. With a titanic swipe it sheared the tops off the trees Ruby had been perched upon but the slippery huntress ever stayed one step ahead.

"She's got it into the glade, distract it!" Jaune shouted as Ren and Nora took off from their hiding place on the forest floor.

The two had certainly changed in the months following the fall of Beacon. Ren now wore his hair down which had grown quite long nearly reaching his waist. His green attire was similar to that worn at school, however now had long tailcoats and was sleeveless save for the bands running from his fingers up to past his elbow closed in place with a metal armlet. His weapons remained the same twin green pistols.

Nora's outfit was relatively unchanged though she had ditched the overlapping armor in favor of a blue short-sleeved jacket with her hammer-emblem printed on the back. The heart-shaped opening in her white undershirt had a single slash through it as a result of the battle at Beacon. She had refused to give up her pink combat skirt. With an ever-cheerful grin on her face she proceeded to start lobbing round after round of pink grenades.

The volley exploded into its back yet did no real damage, whatever the Grimm had done to command the stones around it appeared to have reinforced their durability as well. Ruby continued to distract the creature, whirling around it with her semblance and preventing it from focusing on the others. She may be unwilling to shoot Crescent Rose…but that didn't mean she was useless in a fight. She had gotten so much practice with her semblance as a result of her insistence against firing a single live round.

"Try getting him to turn around!" Jaune called out from the ground. He currently had no shield or sword and was doing little more than running around the border of the fight.

Ren leapt to the peak of one of the remaining trees and took off into the air. With both blades extending he spun like a saw blade into the top of the Geist Grimm, his weapons scraping off its rock-hard exterior without piercing.

"I got it!" Nora called out, running directly at the monster head on, hammer extended. Showing no fear, she performed a two-handed swing at the same time it brought a stone-arm down upon her. She didn't even need the dust injectors Esmerelda had left with them at Patch. She had a handful preloaded with lightning crystals in her pocket just in case.

The herculean huntress won the exchange, the arm shattering into boulders and flying across the field. An especially larger one went hurtling towards Jaune, before it could impact Ruby leapt in front, slicing it in half down the middle. She may have sworn against using Crescent Rose against anyone she could hurt…but she had no qualms against using it on anything else to protect her friends.

A loud gunshot echoed, causing birds that had remained in the area to scatter to the winds. A massive anti-armor shell whizzed past the team, impacting the now-undefended mask of the Geist. Despite an amazing shot from Olivia beyond the Grimm's vision, only the upper right quadrant shattered. The effect was noticeable however, as portions of rock sloshed off reducing the size of the beast they fought.

"Did you see that?" They heard Olivia cheer over their scrolls. A second round fired, however the Geist was ready, blocking it with a remaining arm. "Oh come on!" She had forgotten to switch off transmit when venting her frustration.

Nora was frantically dodging, after the first hit, the Grimm was not allowing her a chance to power up a second. Again and again it pounded the dirt, each hit closer and closer to hitting home.

"We just need to shatter the rest of it!" Jaune called out, nursing a bruise on his head where a chunk of the rock Ruby deflected had chipped off and conked him. "Ren, Ruby…Rose Flowers!"

Ruby ran ahead, grabbing Ren by his arms who turned with a nod of approval. In a flash she activated her semblance, the two transforming into a red and green tornado heading straight for the Grimm's mask. The phantasm-monstrosity was learning, however and turned to face them, a new, ghastly almost skeletal black arm emerging from a portal where the first had been. Jagged fingers with razor-sharp white talons extended, it reached out to grab the incoming children.

Before impact, Ruby deactivated her semblance, swinging her scythe to block the incoming attack. Crescent Rose caught the hand, allowing Ren to go flying forward, landing directly on its face. With nowhere to grip, he had to be fast. The moment his feet planted into the stone, he brought his pistols to bear, performing a cross-slash splitting the remaining mask into pieces.

Ren plummeted to the ground, only to be caught by the timely intervention of Nora. She held him almost like a bride, grinning wide at her childhood friend's current position. She could not rest easy, however as the presence of the Grimm dispersed, the unstable tower of rocks began to crumble. She narrowly dodged out of the way, still cradling Ren in her arms.

"We did it!" Ruby announced proudly, leaning on Crescent Rose as the others gathered around the remains.

"Another victory for Team JNRRR!" Jaune proclaimed, setting one foot atop a nearby chunk of rock and standing proudly. After a few seconds he glanced left and right as if realizing what he had just said. "Alright Ren, y'know I think you're onto something…it…it's just not sounding great anymore."

"RNJRR is always still an option," he allowed a grin remembering their previous discussions of what they should call themselves as a team.

"ORRNJ is still viable too!" Olivia's voice crackled over the scroll as she made her way to rendezvous with them. "That one is actually a color!"

"But wouldn't you have to be the leader for that one to work?" Nora pointed out.

"And I would be willing to shoulder such a heavy burden," she sarcastically responded after an uncomfortable moment of silence.

 **A Few Hours Later…**

Ruby shook the village elders hand; despite the clear joy in their actions he retained his composure as befit his station. The rest of the team stood behind her proudly as they were recognized for their deed.

"We truly can't thank you enough," he smiled before finally releasing her hand.

"Just…doing our job sir!" Ruby replied though hesitated in her enthusiasm before giving a quick two-finger salute. With her cheerful demeanor, Ruby was the perfect one to represent them with the villages they assisted.

After arriving on the mainland from Patch, the five had set out towards Mistral and Haven. Along the way they had gotten…sidetracked. It seemed that Grimm were threatening everywhere and they couldn't just ignore the nearby villages. They had been too late at the first…the team still remembered the Grimm overrunning the buildings, fire everywhere. It had been far too reminiscent of Beacon.

"We were afraid we'd have to relocate," the elder chuckled, the stress of the last week lifting slowly from his shoulders.

"Well, we are on our way to Mistral," Ruby offered despite the incredibly delay it would cause. "You could always come along with us if you don't feel safe."

"I thank you for your offer, but you kids aren't from around these parts. Anima is a large continent and I'm afraid our people would never survive the long trek to Mistral. It may be safer in the kingdoms, but we prefer our way of life."

 _ **Stay and die…with the Grimm moving in this area I give this village a month, three at best…**_

Olivia quickly punched the side of her head, silencing the voice. The others turned at the sound, but by the time they had she was standing there innocently looking around confused as if she had no idea why they were looking at her.

"I just wish we could pay you more," he lowered his head as if in thought as to how it could be accomplished.

"Our previous arrangement is more than sufficient," Ren asserted, glancing over the Jaune who replied with a nod.

 **Not Far…**

"There you go son!" The burly horned-faunus blacksmith slammed a breastplate onto his counter. "It's gonna be heavier than you're used to, but you'll thank me the next time you go up against a set of claws!"

The armor was much thicker than the one he had been wearing since his first day at Beacon. For one thing it actually covered all of his chest and not just the top and shoulders as his old did. Gold and bright red metal lined the shimmering white of the armor.

"Wow, uh," Jaune fumbled with his words at the sight of the armor forged of his design with Pyrrha's fragments of Miló. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't gotta say anything! Just put it on! I'll go get the rest." With that last word the blacksmith disappeared into the back.

"Well," Olivia sneered, leaning around to look Jaune in the eyes. "Put em on!"

"Oh…right," he stuttered, stepping forward to the counter and sliding off his current chest piece. "I…guess I was going to grow out of it eventually." He smiled at the set that had served him for so long.

"A sign of progress," Ren added his words of wisdom.

"Progress…right," still hesitating to don his new armor, he turned around to his friends. Ruby's eyes shot wide open as she saw his hoodie he'd been wearing beneath.

"Wh-what is THAT!" she cried, still sputtering with laughter she could barely contain. Beneath Jaune's armor was his black hoodie, and printed on the front was the head of a large white rabbit complete with ears and everything.

"What…this is what I always wear!" Jaune fell into defensive mode. He had never even realized that throughout all of his time at Beacon, no one other than Pyrrha, Ren and Nora had seen him without his armor with the hoodie. His face was turning red.

"It's a cute little bunny rabbit!" Ruby was incapable of containing herself. It was the first time in a while they had seen her as cheerful as she used to be all the time.

"Is that…Pumpkin Pete?" Olivia snickered a little, far more composed than Ruby though not by much. Jaune nodded quickly an affirmative.

"Wh-what did you do? Send in a bunch of box tops?"

"Yea…fifty! How do you think I knew Pyrrha's face so well?"

Ruby lost all control, cackling like a madwoman she fell backwards, only being caught by Olivia as she continued laughing. Turning around she buried her head in Olivia's chest, doing her best to hold back and failing miserably.

 _ **I swear if she doesn't shut up I am going to take her own scythe and shove…**_

"Can't have a huntsman without his weapon!" The blacksmith called out as he returned. "Made all the modifications you asked for!"

He produced Jaune's upgraded Crocea Mors unfolded right there on the counter. The sword was sheathed within the confines of the shield which double for both purposes. As with his armor, intertwined red and gold trim ran along the border and the handle of the blade was now a vibrant gold. What stood out more than anything, however was the adjusted Arc emblem on the front. The moon-shaped sigil was now angled towards the northwest quadrant with a familiar red-javelin emblem overlapping it. Between Jaune and Pyrrha's intertwined emblems, it appeared like a red spear was impaling a crescent moon.

"That was some fine metal you brought me, the red and gold went well with the white. I was surprised at how much I got out of those pieces you provided. Where'd you get it from?"

"From someone…very important to me," Jaune replied with a solemn yet still somehow goofy grin on his face as he thought of her waiting back in Patch. "She thought that I could make better use of it."

"We'll give you a moment to change," Olivia assured him, ushering the others out of the shop at the realization that Jaune's lips seemed to be quivering.

"So," the horned-metalworker started up. "Any idea what you want to do with your old armor? The material is still top notch if a bit outdated in its design."

"You know," Jaune smiled as he had been thinking ahead. "I was hoping you could do something else for me…"

Outside the shop, the remaining four awaited the return of their friend. Nora and Ruby were practically giddy at the new armor and equipment for Jaune, he had sorely needed it. Fortunately, they did not need to wait long. Jaune emerged from the shop, his new armor glistening in the sun as he stepped out of the shade. Along with the chestpiece, he had thick gauntlets that stretched up to the elbow. There had even been enough extra armor for both shoulders. Proudly, Jaune drew his sword and extended the shield, showing off to his team.

Olivia could not help but notice a red sash tied around his waist, it was clearly the same Pyrrha had worn with her own huntress attire.

 _Did she include that in the bag of goodies she gave to Jaune?_

"He cleans up alright, wouldn't you say?" The blacksmith chuckled, clearly pleased with his work.

Olivia let out a sharp whistle of how impressed she was at his change from Beacon. He may have acted the role of leader before but now he looked it.

"I still think a grenade launcher would have REALLY brought the look together," Nora added her opinion cheerily.

"Or a gun of SOME kind," Olivia groaned, realizing his sword looked scarcely different from before. She missed the grin from Jaune out of the corner of her eye.

"Team RNJRR is ready to go!" Ruby pointed forward towards the road ahead.

"Team JNRRR!" Nora growled.

"Still not a color," Ren sighed heavily.

"ORRNJ is still an option," Olivia could not resist.

"It doesn't matter what we're called," Jaune stepped up to stop the quarrel. "As long as we're together."

"You kids sure you don't want to stick around?" The aging faunus leaned against the wall. "You've been real good to this town."

"Sorry," Ruby apologized. "But we have another mission."

"Make it to Haven, no matter what!" Nora could not resist ensuring her voice was heard.

"We've heard the next village over has a working airship."

"Hmmmm, no way to know for sure," he warned the teens as they set off for the road. "Signals were bad enough out here before the tower went down. We haven't heard from Shion village in quiiiiiiite a while..."

 **Docks…**

"Excellent work and good luck," a familiar Atlesian general concluded as his voice died out over the scroll. The young woman clicked it off and slid the device into her satchel beside an obscured white and blue uniform. Esmerelda Moto sighed as she stepped onto the ocean liner soon to set sail from the coast of Sanus, her curly auburn hair catching a strong gust of wind and whipped across her face.

 _I finally get to come back…only to leave again,_ she mused, enjoying the feeling of the breeze while brushing the hair from her eyes. _This will be an awkward reunion._

The weather was infinitely preferable to the climate in Atlas, though she may only have thought that way from being accustomed to such warmth. It had been years since she was on the sea…her nose flared at a brief memory of the salty air associated with it. It was quite a large ship bound for the island of Menagerie, such armed vessels and airships were the only ones with a chance of getting past the Grimm explosion worldwide. Even then, fewer and fewer were getting through.

"Welcome aboard young lady!" We'll be setting sail soon; an older gentleman with a full yet groomed white beard greeted her. Based on his uniform he was undoubtedly the ship's captain. "Calm seas for the most part, the trip should be smooth all the way.

"Thank you captain," Esmerelda bowed slightly in greeting. "That is good to hear."

She knew the captain truly had no idea how their voyage would go, but he was being smart. With Grimm being attracted to the negative emotions of humans and faunus, he was no doubt greeting passengers himself with such a statement to put them at ease. After all, the captain should be the most trusted and knowledgeable person on the ship.

 _With any luck…he'll turn out to be right._

Esmerelda looked down at her new attire, feeling a bit out of her element. She wore a sleeveless sky-blue crop top with black straps that created an x-shaped pattern across her chest and grey trousers. With the shortness of the shirt leaving her midriff bare it was a tad more revealing than she was used to, but remaining inconspicuous was part of her trip and it was common wear on Menagerie. She had also opted for fingerless black gloves that would cushion blows in the event of a melee fight.

She had her weapon reduced to its scimitar-form hanging off her hip fastened securely to a black belt. As a former student of Beacon she was permitted to carry it in case of sudden Grimm attack. Not wanting to delay, she made her way below deck to locate her cabin towards the bow of the ship.

Unfortunately, it was her haste that prevented the member of Team HERO from noticing a familiar black-ribboned faunus boarding the ship not far behind her, also oblivious to her presence. And even further behind, another passenger followed obscured by a great black cloak who, despite looking incredibly conspicuous, was not noticed by the crew or fellow passengers on the long trip to Menagerie…

 **Team RNJRR…ORRNJ…JNRRR…our heroes continue on their path to Haven, unaware of the hunters tracking their movements. Scattered across Remnant, will the friends and comrades be able to stand against their individual demons both internal and external? Only time will tell, as always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	3. Out the Door and Down the Road

**Jwebb96: I am glad you enjoyed it, and thank you, Tyrian was quite enjoyable to write…he is delightfully insane. xD**

 **Constipated Genius: I can sneak out an unexpected update from time to time…possibly like this one lol. Yep…with the door open Hildie works fast, she has been locked away for years after all, Olivia has her work cut out for her. I remember watching Vol. 4 originally and wondering what the point of Oscar's little cameos was…we needed more! And don't worry, we'll get more glimpses into the time skip and how Ember deals with his time with Salem…**

 **Lelouch of Zero: Not by a long shot, he may serve to protect a certain someone…but he knows better considering she's the one behind the fall of Beacon. No doubt, that will be a veeeery awkward conversation.**

 **Guest: Thank you! Funny enough I've watched her comedy videos and retrospectives but wanted to hold off watching her script fixing ones until after I finish Vol. 4 and 5.**

 **Bookwyrm321: Many good questions and theories, all I can say is definitely maybe…I kid, I kid lol but it will be revealed pretty soon. :D**

 **Amelia: Thank you again! :D It means so much that you've enjoyed my development/path for Horatio thus far. Indeed, he understands what occurred at the fall was an accident…he may wish to protect Cinder more than anything…it hasn't yet claimed his soul.**

 **I was hoping to get one more chapter out before Volume 6 starts later this month. I cannot wait to see where they go in the story. And with that….onto the show!**

Weiss Schnee walked the halls of the place she had called home before her time studying at Beacon. Her father had summoned her presence in his study; otherwise she would have been in her room as she had spent much of her time since returning. Being outside of it just reminded her of what she had nearly forgotten while away.

The hallways were enormous, the epitome of extravagance with paintings and statues of all shapes and sizes. She could not help but eye the enormous suits of armor flanking the grand staircase like a pair of watchful sentries. While it would draw the awe and majesty of anyone who saw it, Weiss could think of only one thing as she passed it all by.

 _It's so empty._

Hundreds could have comfortably packed the halls and rooms of the Schnee manor and often did at parties, gatherings and other such events. Most of the time however, only her immediate family and their servants could be found within. The sense of loneliness had been exacerbated when she was younger by Winter's departure to join the Atlas military…and her mother had never been around that often. Things were so lively at Beacon, with the hustle and bustle of school life she'd scarcely gone a few minutes without running into someone be it Blake, Yang or even R…

"Good afternoon sister," a voice snapped Weiss from her contemplation only then realizing someone was standing in her path. "A pleasure to see you out of your room for a change."

Her younger brother Whitley bowed cordially before her, a smile on his face that, to those who knew him, was eerily out of place. His hair was cut short, styled and slicked back, the blue eyes they shared locked on one another.

"Hello Whitley," Weiss replied as was only polite. "You're in a cheery mood today."

"Klein made crepes for breakfast," he shrugged his shoulders as if to imply there was no other state possible under those circumstances.

"What do you want?" Weiss sighed as she placed a hand on her hip and glanced away. There was no chance he was just making idle conversation.

"I heard father shouting with someone in his study earlier," the young man immediately started without even an attempt to refute her implication.

"Mother?" It wouldn't surprise her.

"No, she's already drinking in the garden."

 _Of course she is._

"There were two of them; pretty sure one of them was a man. I just wanted to warn you after hearing he wanted to speak with you."

"I'll…be fine," Weiss asserted, though gripped her arm defensively. The smile and sense of concern emanating from Whitley just didn't feel right.

"I know you will, you are strong…like Winter!"

"You…never liked Winter," Weiss felt the need to point out based on the absurdity of his statement compared to the little brother she knew.

"True, but you can't deny her resolve."

"You seem different," Weiss could no longer hide her confusion at the apparent change. She crossed her arms and stared down at him suspiciously.

"And you've been gone," he retorted without losing his smile or out of character cheeriness. "I'll have you know I didn't stop growing while you were away at Beacon."

Weiss honestly had no idea how to react.

"Anyway," Whitley smiled as he spun on his heels to continue down the hall. "Good luck with father."

"Thank you," Weiss allowed as much of a true smile to shine through as she had since arriving home other than when Klein was around. If Whitley could improve himself while she was away, anything was possible. Despite the sound of muffled arguments coming from her father's study, Weiss tentatively approached with hope that things could get better.

 **Mistral Farm…**

Oscar dug through the chicken coop; he saw the smudged tracks but had to know what happened. Under the guise of further work, he had snuck away from his aunt to investigate. Flashlight in hand, he was searching for how it got out.

"Front door locked, windows secured," he muttered to himself. "No structural damage and no others made a ruckus in the night but…"

With every other option scratched out, the young farmhand checked the straw directly beneath the missing hen's alcove. A confident smile accompanied a muffled shout of victory. Beneath the alcove was a small hole surely big enough for someone…or something to reach inside and have plucked the chicken while she slept. He'd have to get that repaired before nightfall lest it happen a second time.

 _Maybe add a little surprise for our chicken thief;_ he chuckled as he got to work. If he could catch whatever was taking livestock, his aunt would be sure to start treating him like the fourteen year old he was rather than a child. _It won't take long, will just need tools from the barn, maybe a few of aunties old paints…then I can…_

"GAAAAHHHH!"

Oscar dropped to the floor, heart pounding as he jumped back to his feet, hesitantly looking back around the corner. He had been making his way to the barn when he passed an old mirror hanging on the wall. He thought he'd seen something that sent a chill through him.

He looked at his reflection, turning his head up, down and side to side in an attempt to verify he most certainly didn't see what he thought he had. After a few tense moments he continued his path towards the barn to retrieve the supplies. For a moment, just a single moment, he could have sworn his hair had turned completely grey. Oscar laughed at the thought; surely it must have been a trick of the light…that mirror was absolutely filthy after all.

 **Patch…**

Roland made his way up the stairs, food tray in hand, only a few minutes to 7:00 to go. Tai was preparing the rest of breakfast below and as usual Yang was a no show. For a change, little Zwei had decided to accompany him and stuck close behind.

 _Another day, another dollar,_ the young huntsman mused as he reached her door, raising his hand in preparation to knock.

"Son of a…!" He heard her shout within before he could take action, a loud crash occurring from within.

"Yang!" Roland cried out, throwing open the door without a second thought. "Are you alrig…?"

The room was a disheveled mess, the bed was unmade and various hairspray bottles were scattered all over the room. The loud noise seemed to have been a large brush colliding with the full-length mirror in the corner, somehow failing to break it.

And then he saw her.

Yang was still arrayed in her pajamas, a sleeveless orange top with her emblem stitched into the front and black shorts showing off most of her legs. She hadn't gotten dressed for the day yet. A look of pure anger and frustration was building on her face as if she was on the verge of screaming or crying. The look was so gut-wrenching he almost didn't notice the source of her animosity.

Her cascading golden locks, her pride and joy that meant certain doom for anyone who dared to draw near were in the worst state of bedhead he had ever seen. They were tousled almost beyond recognition, spiky in some areas while flat on others and frizzy all over. From the look of the warzone he had walked into she had been trying to work it into the previous style she was accustomed to wearing…with only a single arm at her disposal she had clearly failed.

"What are you doing in here?" Yang demanded, panting heavily as if she'd been yelling at someone until he walked in. "I told you to stay out!"

"I…I heard the shout, I thought you might…" only then did he notice he was still holding the breakfast tray and quickly laid it on the nearby table. "Is everything al…"

"No…no it's NOT alright!" Yang balled up her fist in frustration. "It was so…easy before, and now I can't even…"

Roland understood or at least tried to; he couldn't imagine trying to care for such hair as hers with only a single arm. Not alone at least.

"I should just cut the whole thing off."

Roland paled, his first reaction of making her laugh taking precedence over anything else in his mind.

"Who are you…and what have you done with Yang Xiao Long?"

"I'm…not being seen like this," Yang reached for an enormous pair of scissors nearby, bringing them up to her frizzled golden locks.

Roland thought fast, quickly locating a second set of scissors he grabbed a tuft of his own hair, holding them up to his shorter black strands. Yang saw his action and hesitated, her eyes narrowing as she tried to gauge his intent.

"Whatever you do to those follicles…I'll do to my own. Don't think I won't! I'm a man on the edge!"

Yang actually allowed a soft chuckle to escape though it was restrained and quiet.

"It would be so much easier than to look like this every morning," she sounded so distant, completely different from the girl he had met last year.

"Since when have you ever taken the easy way out," Roland countered. "I'd rather see you in the mornings Yang, hair or no hair…but you were so proud of it. How many did you threaten with death for risking it? I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"I…" Yang lowered the scissors at last, allowing him to do the same. "I just can't. I've been trying every…single…morning. I can't keep up."

"Maybe I could offer my services?" Roland finally got to the heart of the matter.

"You...style hair?" Yang asked slowly, a bit of her old self rising to the surface as she looked over the shorter cut Roland always sported, clearly disbelieving of his ludicrous statement.

"Two sisters remember?" He smirked back. "Granted you have more hair than they have…anything, but do you have any idea how many times I had to help them braid each other? They were competitive about EVERYTHING and needed an unbiased participant."

Yang absentmindedly gripped her long hair as if contemplating his words.

 _She wouldn't let her own father near her hair._ Roland thought to himself as the silence grew between them. _But maybe if she remembers just how important it is, she'll take a step back and realize she wouldn't want it gone. Once she turns me down maybe I can…_

"Okay."

That single word froze Roland's mind, his look grew flat as his eyes bulged open. He couldn't comprehend what she had just said.

"Beg pardon?"

"You get one chance," her reply sounded uncertain. Despite that, she took a seat on the bed, fluffing her hair so he could get a better look.

Roland was screaming in his head, he never imagined in a thousand years she would have actually accepted his offer, genuine though it was. Overjoyed at her sitting down calmly, Zwei hopped up onto Yang's lap, curling into a ball before settling down to await the pets he knew would follow.

Roland recovered the comb along with scrunchies, hair pins, a bottle of hair spray and whatever else he thought may be needed. In his mind he was going to war.

 _One chance, don't blow it Rolly. You are working on a priceless treasure here._

Once positioned behind Yang, the young huntsman started by placing the hair pins in his mouth to free up his hands. Carefully to avoid the knots, he started to pull Yang's hair together. Due to the time gone without professional tending, it was rough to the touch yet still he felt like he was working with a glass flower, fearful the slightest mistake could shatter it.

Roland did not see Yang's face as he started the procedure, the hint of a blush spreading across her cheeks as she felt his hands intertwine with her golden mane. Yang could not have been more embarrassed yet at the same time thankful that she had someone who could make this moment possible.

 _Alright,_ Roland finally settled on a general plan for handling what lay before him. His experience with his sisters ill-preparing for such an endeavor. _Where to begin?_

 **Mistral Countryside…**

Ruby shot up in her sleeping back, breathing heavily and dripping with sweat. Glancing around their makeshift campsite she realized the others appeared to be sleeping, all except…

"Bad dreams too?" Olivia asked. She was sitting up against a tree polishing Jackal.

"Just…probably too many cookies last night," the young huntress chuckled awkwardly.

"I told you we needed real food," Olivia reciprocated her smile as she shook her head. "Sugary snacks and long treks of walking usually don't mix well."

"Hehe, I'll just try to get some more sleep," she rolled over. However, as Olivia was unable to see, her eyes never closed…she dared not lest she see the face that popped into view every time she stared down to scope of Crescent Rose…

 **Atlas…**

"I'm not talking about the good of the company; I'm talking about the good of Atlas! Our entire Kingdom!"

"That is a load of garbage and you know it."

"I beg your pardon?"

Weiss could hear the shouts well before approaching the door to her father's office. He and General Ironwood were still inside arguing over his "unnecessary paranoia" as her father had put it. Not wanting to interrupt, the young heiress slowly pushed the door open.

"Salutations Ms. Schnee! I am afraid your father and the General are still engaged in their prior appointment. Though I am certain they will be through soon based on their current path of interactions."

"Penny?" Weiss gasped as the familiar perky orange-haired girl revealed herself standing guard at the door. The last time she'd seen her was as a decapitated head amidst the chaotic evacuation. "What are you doing here?"

She'd been made a new body since the fall. It was clearly a more advanced design since the first; there was no way to tell from a quick glance that she was anything more than a young girl. It appeared they'd gone for a slightly maturer appearance almost as if she'd aged a year or two since Beacon. She was currently wearing an Atlesian uniform though with no rank attached. No doubt the topic of whether she should be considered a soldier or a weapon was still ongoing.

The world had seen the footage of the battle, everyone knew what she was. Many were up in arms over Atlas "going too far," or "playing gods," with her creation, she had seen the Atlas news feeds even contained to her kingdom as they were. The general had defended her every step of the way, assuring the masses that while born from their latest experiments into aura…she was far from being solely a weapon. Few of the more vocal proponents seemed to believe his words.

"General Ironwood has made me his personal attaché," she announced proudly. Despite the backlash of her reveal which she was fully aware of, it had failed to break her indomitable cheer.

"Your dust embargo has already cost me millions!" Jacques Schnee continued to argue behind her. "Do you have any idea how many competitors I've had to reconcile with just to turn a profit?"

"So this IS about you?" Ironwood countered.

"It is…good to see you again" Weiss stepped forward, embracing Penny as the girl looked on confused. Nevertheless, she eventually reciprocated the gesture after several seconds.

"Ms. Schnee," General Ironwood only then noticed her presence. "My apologies, I should have been gone by now."

"Yes dear," her father interrupted. "And do be careful around that…thing," he motioned towards Penny.

"We're friends," she asserted though her argument was timid and quiet. Penny's smile beamed brighter all the same at those words.

"We'll continue this…later," Ironwood's glare at her father was positively terrifying at the jab towards Penny's humanity. Between his look and his more grizzled appearance due to the stress since Beacon's fall, he did not look like someone it was wise to upset.

"I-indeed," Jacques looked hesitant to test his patience. "Klein will show you out."

"Don't worry, we know the way," he rebuked him as he made for the door. "Until next time Jacques."

Weiss stepped aside politely to allow him a clear path to the door. Penny did the same then bowed in an identical fashion. "I do hope we can work together again Ms. Schnee," she smiled before following the general out.

"Did you forget your manners while you were away?" The head of the Schnee family muttered while Weiss still faced the door. He missed the scowl that warped her features for a moment yet were gone by the time she turned around.

"No father, I'm sorry for not knocking." She followed him as he meandered over to his desk, plopping down in the cushioned seat on the other side.

"Can you believe there are still people that blame Atlas for what happened to Beacon? To Vale?"

"Well, they weren't there."

It's a wonder Ironwood wasn't stripped of his rank." Jacques continued to rant; it was hard to get him to stop once started. "I suppose the council trusts him, for better or worse."

"I…trust him," Weiss felt the need to add. "He and Penny, they mean well."

Jacques Schnee spun in his chair, leaning on the table as if to express how exhausted he was at the situation.

"Thanks to him, Atlas is forbidden from exporting dust to other kingdoms. A 'precautionary measure' as he puts it, until we are certain no one is going to declare war. How anyone could possibly find that to be sound logic is beyond me."

 _He just wants to make sure_

"Which is why the Schnee Dust Company will be holding a charity concert in the coming weeks."

Weiss finally allowed some emotion to bleed through her cold demeanor as she opened her eyes wider, shocked at what she'd heard her father say.

"We need to show the people of Remnant that we are on their side," he continued. "That we are ALL victims of the fall of Beacon."

"That's…wonderful news!" Weiss smiled. She couldn't believe it, first Whitley showing some kindness and concern for once in his life and now her father was actually trying to help after the fall of Beacon? It was too good to…

"I know," he adjusted his suit as he internally patted himself on the back. "And I think it would make a lot of people happy if YOU performed at the event."

"Ex…cuse me?"

"Many forget that you were there. My own daughter, a Schnee, on the grounds defending another kingdom. We need to remind them and we need to show them that the Schnee family is just as strong as ever!"

 _He is making this all about him…_

"Are you asking me if I'd like to sing, or telling me?" She could barely look her father in the eye.

Jacques leaned forward, his own gaze never wavering. "I think it would make a lot of people happy." Weiss sighed heavily, his reply was all she needed to hear to know the answer to her question. She hadn't sang since the Vytal Festival with Flynt.

"I'll start practicing…"

"That's my girl, and do adjust that lopsided ponytail of yours before the concert…it looks ridiculous."

 **Outside…**

Weiss slowly closed the door with a click, proper etiquette demanded to make as little noise as possible…just like her father wanted for her most days. The smile she had at the idea of her father and brother changing had already faded to be replaced with her solemn cold she had gotten used to wearing.

"Hot coffee, Ms. Schnee? I always find he keeps his study dreadfully cold."

The head butler stood before her, tray of hot coffee already in hand. He was on the shorter side, a tad stout and balding with the most adorable mustache that never failed to raise Weiss' spirits.

"Thank you Klein," she accepted the cup and took a quick sip. Despite the pick-me up, she just couldn't keep the momentum, her smirk faded away as she considered all that had happened.

Klein seemed to notice, after a moment of awkward silence he cleared his throat.

"Do you know what I think?" Covering his face with the tray, he lowered it dramatically. "I think it's to balance out all of his hot air!" He mocked with laughter, his eyes were now a shade of red versus the dark amber they had been a moment ago.

"Klein!" Weiss gasped with a whisper, glancing back at the study door to ensure her father hadn't heard, only risking a giggle of her own upon realizing he hadn't.

"Oh…oh no…." Klein warned her as he reared back his head and letting out a sudden sneeze and then another. After the first his eye cycled to a sky blue and with the second it became a bright yellow.

"Ah," he sighed, his demeanor suddenly much softer and gentler. "There's my little snowflake. That Penny friend of yours was positively a delight; I don't care what your father says about her. Would you like me to invite her over for coffee sometime?"

"I don't think father would…"

"Oh pish posh," the cheerful persona of her butler smiled. "So many people from your father's various partners will be staying in the mansion the next few weeks. "I am sure one friend or two snuck in won't be noticed."

The idea of having another familiar face around made Weiss feel at ease. There was only one person who had made life in the manor bearable after Winter left…

"Thank you Klein…for everything."

 **Mistral Countryside…**

"Oh we're lost!" Ruby lamented as she held out the map, twisting it this way and that as if it would make more sense at a different angle.

"Calm down Ruby," Olivia held back her laughter as Nora and Ren attempted to do the same behind her. "We are on the main road, not even Roland has a sense of direction so bad to get lost following that."

"Besides, Shion isn't far from here!" Jaune added. My family used to visit all the time."

"Oh yea," Ruby smiled at the memory. "Don't you have like four sisters?"

"Seven," Olivia corrected.

"That really does explains a lot," Nora looked away teasingly.

"Hey…what is that supposed to...?"

"So what did you guys do there?" Ruby called back from the front, drawing him to the map.

"Oh all sorts of stuff! Over here is a great hiking trail," he started pointing at the map. "And over here…"

"He loves telling this part," Nora whispered to Olivia as Jaune became absorbed in the map, pointing out every little location he could think of. "He even wanted to shadow the village sheriff for our first mission at Beacon…you know before we got the day off for that whole Merlot thing."

Olivia kept the smile, but couldn't help remembering back to the mission to seek out Dr. Merlot's island. She had spent much of the time in Forever Fall fighting alongside…

 _ **Neo? Ray? Make up your mind.**_

 _Shut up_

"My sisters always gave me pigtails," Jaune continued his familiar anecdote. "I consider myself more of a warrior's wolftail personally."

"But…that's just a ponytail," Ruby pointed out hesitantly.

"I could give you a few pointers," Olivia snapped back to reality as she whipped her own ponytail to the side for emphasis. "Guys…" she gasped as she looked ahead . Ruby and Jaune were so entranced in the map they hadn't noticed the sight before them, or the smoke blocking out the blue skies. Ren and Nora were the next to drop their jaws in horror.

The village of Shion was still far in the distance, but they could see perfectly. Olivia pulled out her rifle, staring down the sights. The village looked dead; buildings were damaged or destroyed including the guard tower which had been reduced to smoldering rubble. A black pillar of smoke rose into the air far beyond, they could not see any sign of movement.

"Clear," Olivia alerted them, signaling the team to rush forward until they were finally amid the cobbled streets.

"Start looking," Jaune flipped over to his role as leader almost immediately. "There could be survivors!"

Nodding in understanding, the team scattered. As Ruby, Ren and Jaune went up main street, Olivia and Nora went through what had once been the market square. All the doors had been smashed open, bodies littered the streets and many of the vehicles and stalls they could see were stripped bare.

 _ **Bandits no doubt, they took everything not nailed down. Probably used the CCT Tower's destruction as a chance to do a few raids when they couldn't call for help. Based on the claw marks and generally messiness…the Grimm were not far behind.**_

 _I hate it when you're right._

 _ **When WE'RE right.**_

Frustration welled in Olivia as she and Nora checked everyone they could, none stirred. From the look of things it had happened days before, likely before they had even bested the Geist.

"The airship dock would be ahead, maybe it…"

Nora didn't finish her sentence as it soon became clear that the very ship they sought was the source of the billowing smoke blotting out the sun. From the look of things it had been shot right out of the sky trying to take off, having crashed back into and destroying the humble village dock.

"That's impossible," Nora overlooked the destruction. Olivia understood her confusion, it appeared that the source of the damage was scorched and burned through just as the guard tower had been. It looked as if it had been electrocuted…but was far larger than any standard lightning dust could have done.

 _It almost looks like it was…_

 _ **Struck by lightning, very astute boss. I'm getting all tingly just thinking of what these bandits had with them to do THAT.**_

"What kind of weapon did this?" She finally muttered, Nora could only shrug.

"Jaune," Olivia pulled out her scroll and opened a short-ranged channel. "No luck on finding survivors so far, airship is a no go…looks like we are going to Haven on foot. Any luck on your end?"

"We," his voice sounded solemn and distant. "We found the village huntsman…but he didn't make it. Let's make sure there's no one else we can help. There has to be…someone who made it…"

"Roger that, over and out. Let's keep moving Nora…Nora?"

The perky pink Valkyrie was staring at the ground, unknown to her Ren was doing the exact same thing on the opposite side of the town. Before her imbedded deep in the ground was an immense hoof print. The shape was relatively normal, however the size was many times even the largest horse on the planet. She did not alert Olivia, merely looked on with a look of apprehension in the full knowledge that she had seen that shape before.

 **Salem's Domain…**

"Okay," Emerald continued as she had been the last several hours. "You want to bend your index finger like this…and your pinkie like that. Just a bit more…perfect."

Cinder was sitting on the edge of her bed following Emerald's instructions while Mercury stood watch out front to warn of anyone incoming. She was walking her through the hand gestures she would need to know. The Fall Maiden never thought she would require such a skill, however until her vocal cords healed it was unavoidable. She had learned the basics and made use of them, but made sure Emerald taught her the advanced signs.

"Now, if you want to express appreciation for a service completed, just do this…"

Cinder followed along, memorizing every contour and intricate movement to ensure she mastered it perfectly. She would not settle for less.

"Cinder," Emerald started sheepishly. "I wanted to let you know something."

Salem's pupil turned towards her disciple, eye narrowing as she could sense the hesitation in her voice.

"While…you were asleep, I broke a promise. And I think you should know about it."

 **Months Earlier…**

"Okay, you may enter."

Horatio stepped into the room at the approval of the green-haired fighter; she had completed changing Cinder's bandages and massaging her muscles during her days of inactivity. Cinder was still asleep on the bed atop the covers, her chest rising and falling rhythmically. She was tossing somewhat as if dreaming.

"Any better?" He asked as he had every morning for the past week.

"Same," Emerald sighed, sitting across from him at the desk they had moved away from the wall. She had become accustomed to Horatio's presence over the last several days and seemed to now trust he had no nefarious intentions. "The last meal was better."

"And I didn't set the kitchen on fire," he attempted to soften the tone of the room with humor. Emerald never cracked a smile; he couldn't very well say he was in a smiling mood himself.

They had seen no sign of their foreboding benefactor since the first night; she appeared content to wait out Cinder's recovery. The sleeping girl was restless, eyes clenching, was it in pain, anger or something else? Horatio felt so helpless…his semblance good for little more than combat and manual labor.

 _Some Guardian I am being…_

Reaching into his vest he revealed the one thing he had gotten out of Beacon before the fall, the novel provided to him by Tukson so long ago.

"And while most religious groups will have you believe otherwise," he started reading at the beginning. "The creation of Remnant is attributed in the most ancient texts to not one but two gods working with and in spite of one another."

Emerald raised an eyebrow as she pulled out her deck of cards. "What are you doing?"

"I thought it might help if she heard us, you know in case she still can. I wish I had different material but this is all I got."

Emerald nodded, motioning towards him so she could take a look at it. Right before he could hand it off Cinder let out a loud gasp, causing him to jump and allowing the book to fall to the floor. Horatio rushed to the bedside to ensure nothing was out of the ordinary; her remaining eye was fluttering beneath the lid rapidly.

"Down boy, she does that every so often, not much we can do about it."

"Can't you? I mean…doesn't your semblance let you make others see whatever you want?"

Emerald paused as she studied his question. "What's your point?"

"Well, can't you make her…see something soothing? Something that could calm her down?"

Emerald pointed her cards at Cinder's sleeping form. "Does it look like she's seeing anything right now?" The frustration in her voice cut through him.

"Come on Emerald, you're more clever than that and you know it. If what we see is processed by our brains then there is a chance she could still see what you show her. Where's the harm in trying?"

Emerald eyed him threateningly; she didn't like it when he took such a tone. "I swore to her after we met…I'd never attempt my semblance on her…"

Horatio looked at her exasperated; he understood why it would mean so much, but there was a difference between the letter and spirit of the law. "You think she wouldn't want you to use it to ease her pain? If that's your worry just blame me and tell her I forced you to do it!"

Emerald just glared at him as if to say "I'd like to see you try." If only to shut him up she turned towards the bed, laying a tentative hand onto Cinder's head, massaging her temple with the other. Horatio could only watch as she focused with no way to determine if she was actually doing anything. After several seconds Cinder arched her back, Horatio feared the worst until she eased back onto the bed, her breath now coming slow and steady. Her eyes were fluttering, but not with the manic fury they had previously. Emerald leaned back, surveying her work and ensuring nothing had been made worse.

"It worked!" Horatio leaned over and wrapped her in a tight bear hug only realizing too late how inappropriate it seemed. "I mean…good work," he settled on an uneasy handshake, more surprised than anything that Emerald did not attempt to break it off first. "What did you show her?"

"Her ripping your head off," she snapped. The young man threw his arms up in surrender as he leaned back, continuing to read passages from his little book. Emerald started playing solitaire, thankful she had recalled so many details of the night she and Mercury had watched a naïve artist draw a woman he had just met by the sea.

 **Present…**

"Would you have actually believed me if I said he forced me to do it?"

Cinder raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Yea…I didn't think you would. I can't really picture loverb…Ember ever being so forceful. I don't know what it is about him, when he asked…it just seemed to make perfect sense. He had no ulterior motive in the slightest."

Cinder laid a hand on Emerald's shoulder, she instinctively shirked back still remember when she'd been struck for speaking out of term though it had been a long time since that day. The hand was gentle, Cinder shook her head…letting her know there was no animosity for her action. She knew full well what he was like, and how hard it was

"Thank you," Emerald laid her hand atop Cinder's and squeezing.

A knock at the door alerted them that someone was approaching. Emerald quickly stepped back to a more respectable distance, standing at attention as if she were also there to protect Cinder as her disciples.

"She is," Mercury cleared his throat, "here to see you."

Cinder nodded, granting him approval to let the visitor inside.

The ever unsettling presence of the jellyfish-like seer Grimm filled the room as it floated inside, positioning itself in front of the young woman while completely ignoring Emerald nearby. Even Mercury and Emerald both tensed up at its passing. In an instant, an image of Salem appeared within its depths staring into her pupil.

"Cinder, I would like to have a word with you at once without delay…"

 **Patch…**

Tai leaned forward, his own breakfast was getting cold as he and Pyrrha waited for Roland to return. Normally, the kid would drop off Yang's food and be right back down but this time he was nowhere in sight. He thought he'd heard something upstairs but couldn't be sure if he was just hearing things. That was either a possible good sigh or a really bad one.

"How is your leg feeling Pyrrha?" He asked the solemn Spartan if only to make conversation. "I'll be heading out soon for supplies, do you need anything?"

"No sir, it is...better," Pyrrha replied slowly. "Though if possible I would like to use your workshop."

"May I ask why?"

"I…" She hesitated. "I want to make something, to keep busy and prepare for when I can help again."

Tai nodded, understanding the frustration of not being at the frontlines more than most.

"Be my guest, though I am afraid I haven't used it in a while, might have trouble finding materials to…"

He heard footsteps making their way down, _Roland must be done._

"Roland, I hope you like it cold because..." He immediately froze as he stood from the table, his fork dropping to the floor along with his jaw.

The huntsman of Team HERO was coming downstairs and alongside him was Yang. She had her orange sleeveless top on with baggy grey pants. She was walking hesitantly but the young man stayed with her the whole way down, food tray in hand still covered with uneaten food. What stood out most of all was her hair; the previously tangled and disheveled locks were now bunched together into a single large, albeit somewhat messy ponytail held by a purple scrunchie. Roland had done what he could to give it volume to stay together until a more permanent solution could be tested. It wasn't close to her immaculate hair from before, but it was a start.

"Sorry I'm late dad," Yang smiled flatly as they reached the table and holding out the tray. "Breakfast got a little cold."

"I-I'll have it warmed up in a jiffy!" Tai proclaimed as he collected the uneaten food from every plate on the table as well as hers. He quickly started loading them into the oven and started pre-heating as Yang took a seat beside Pyrrha. "How…is your day going?" He eyed Roland suspiciously, amazed how such a turn-around occurred.

"That is…a long story," Yang smiled. "But breakfast as a family again sounds…nice."

 **Boat to Menagerie…**

Esmerelda rolled over on her bed, it was comfortable but she could not relax. They had been at sea for several days and she had scarcely left her room except to get food. It was obvious, she was getting restless.

 _I'm sure I can spend a few hours each day on deck and still keep a low profile,_ she rationalized. The General would surely not mind. Grabbing her weapon shrunk down to its scimitar form she made her way above deck.

It was breathtaking, the sun, the view of blue in all directions as far as she could see.

 _The boat I'd taken to Vale was much smaller, I wonder if it even still sails._

Esmerelda had absolutely no sea legs when she was so little at the time, remembering how sick she'd gotten and been unable to even look out a window. She'd only made it to the mainland by pretending she was in an especially unsteady house amid a storm.

 _She was with me all the way to the academy…I wonder how she's been doing back home. Can't imagine she'd be very pleased with my career choices._

As the young huntress gazed out across the sea, yet could not help but notice a shape walk past. She had gone to the highest point on the vessel and had quite the view…but the newcomer appeared to be focused on the lower deck.

They were dressed in a brown robe completely covering their features, how they hadn't been asked to change clothes by the staff was anybody's guess. She would have though having someone lurking on the ship in something so baggy in the humid air would raise a few flags. As subtly as she could, Esmerelda glanced down towards the deck he was staring to intently.

He was watching a young faunus woman with cat ears, she was wearing tight black pants leading up to a long-sleeve white coat. At the angle she was at, Esmerelda could not make out her face. She had some sort of black weapon on her back; however with her long curly black hair covering it, she couldn't make out any details.

"She a friend of yours?" She asked after creeping up behind them unnoticed.

As expected, the stranger spun in surprise; clearly he'd been up to something.

"Well…I suppose she was…is I mean. We go way back and we…Ezzy?"

 _Ezzy?_

Esmerelda stepped forward, grabbing the brown hood and yanking hard, revealing short spiked blonde hair. She also succeeded in opening the robe itself, giving her an ample view of an open white shirt revealing a stunning set of abs.

 _Good lord you could grate cheese off those!_ She could not help but think and blush red each time she saw them.

"SUN? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" The monkey faunus and leader of Team SSSN pushed back, pulling the hood back over his head. "What are you doing on a ship heading to Menagerie?"

"Nono, my question first," Esmerelda asserted. "I'm not the one going full stalker on some girl here."

"Some girl? Ezzy, that's…"

He did not get a chance to finish as a strong wave suddenly buffeted the ship, knocking him into her. They gripped each other for support until the rocking stopped, only then noticing what an awkward position they were in and letting go.

The uncomfortable moment had no time to gain momentum as the two suddenly realized how overcast it had suddenly become. Looking upward simultaneously they discovered it was not due to clouds…but the shadow of an immense serpent-like Grimm towering over them, burning eyes boring into the ship as it looked over everyone onboard with a ravenous need to destroy everything.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" They both shouted in perfect harmony.

 **Friends divided walk their own path on a collision course with conflict and strife. As with the first chapter, an art piece depicting Roland and Yang in Patch was completed by AzaryaS entitled "A Sword and Her Shield" on DeviantArt. Once again she could not have captured the scene better. As always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	4. Monsters in all Forms

**Constipated Genius: Thank you so much for the kind words. I am glad you've been enjoying my portrayal of events. I can't give away any spoilers…but I hope you enjoy what is shown in the chapters ahead. :D**

 **Jwebb96: That probably was one of my favorite parts to finally go into in this story so far. :)**

 **Lelouch of Zero: It is nice knowing our favorite robot girl is working alongside her father xD. We'll have to wait and see…Ember and Tyrian are hot on their trail…**

 **bookwrym321: I am glad you liked that detail, we know Qrow specified that he recognized a Maiden in the battle, but they never revealed exactly how. I hope this didn't take too long, a thousand apologies if so. XD**

 **Eytan: It is so good to see you with a full account! I hope to never disappoint as I continue…especially with Roland and Yang's story ;)**

 **Amelia: I always felt the same, it's too bad her actual father wasn't even half the man Klein was. It always means so much that you've been enjoying my interactions between Cinder, Ember and the other villains. You are probably right about canon Cinder…good thing we have Ember to help rekindle her repressed humanity! It won't be too long now…Tyrian is quite good at finding what he sets his mind on for his goddess.**

 **And with that…onto the show!**

Yang and Pyrrha were lounging on the couch in the living room of her home in Patch during a break between their daily activities. Roland was upstairs dusting while Tai had gone out for news and supplies. They were currently flipping nonchalantly through the various channels still available with the CCT Tower crash, the options were quite limited. They could only seem to find news broadcasts going over the status of the kingdom since the attack.

"And Vale continues to ban all air traffic that does not have a direct correlation with evacuations of Grimm-infested…

Yang clicked the remote.

"Rumors continue to circulate on who was behind the attack on the Vytal Festival. While no one is certain, officials have confirmed that high ranking White Fang member Adam Taurus was…"

*Click*

Pyrrha had claimed the remote, turning off the television upon noticing Yang's eyes widening at mention of the man responsible for maiming her in the fight.

"Yang…" The huntress started with concerned eyes. "If there is anything you want to talk about…"

"There isn't okay," she brushed her off, looking away towards the stairs. "I'm doing okay, you don't have to worry."

"How can you be okay? You lost a piece of yourself; it won't help anyone to just bottle it up. We are here for you, to talk."

The blonde brawler glanced over, sighing heavily after seeing Pyrrha's own leg. There had been no real improvement despite everything. If there was anyone who understood, it was her.

"I have to get used to this," she asserted. "It beats the alternative."

"Alternative?" Pyrrha did not understand.

"Roland…offered to restore my arm," she finally admitted, causing the Mistral champion's eyes to go wide in amazement.

"He can do that?"

Yang nodded weakly. "His semblance is incredible apparently…but if he does, it'll take his arm in return."

Pyrrha's mouth dropped open but no sound came out, she had no idea how to respond to that.

"He offered, that selfless idiot BEGGED me to take his arm without the slightest hesitation, he was…" She sniffled back her welled up tears. "If I don't get used to this, then I might have a weak moment, I NEVER want to make him think that is ever an option. What is with the two of us and liking guys who don't think enough about their own safety?"

Pyrrha allowed a brief smile to flutter across her lips, remembering Jaune's words at his departure.

"Must be a weakness," she let out a single quick laugh.

The soft patter of socks on wood behind them caused the two to quiet down; realizing Roland must be done with his chores upstairs.

"I swear dust accumulates out in the countryside WAY more than the city," they heard him remark, coughing through his words almost for emphasis.

"That's nature for you, dirt everywh…" Yang froze as she spotted the member of Team HERO almost at the bottom of the steps. Her eyes watered again, only this time in restrained laughter.

Roland was wearing a baggy pair of yellow cargo shorts a few sizes too big, a familiar-looking brown vest over a beige dress shirt. Pyrrha looked confused until realizing her source of amusement. In that moment, Roland was dressed nearly head to toe in her father Tai's clothes.

"Wh-what happened?" She stuttered to withhold her guffaws. "D-did Vale start a cloning program I was unaware of?"

Roland raised an eyebrow quizzically at first before realizing where she was staring. His expression dropped into mild embarrassment as he fluffed the vest outward.

"I didn't bring any change of clothes with me!" He rationalized. "I had to ransack a wardrobe, it was either his or yours!"

Yang leaned back, finally releasing her raucous laughter at his defensive statement. Despite his embarrassment, Roland could not have been more pleased to see her so happy even at his expense. Pyrrha realized the shift back to her previous sense of humor and just started giggling, joining her in the merriment.

"Y-you don't have the stomach to pull mine off," she continued to attempt in vain to restrain her laughter. "And I think I'd have to burn them if you tried on my shorts…"

She was laughing so hard; Yang swept her legs sideways, accidentally clipping a nearby lamp. The large vase-like body fell to the ground and shattered into a hundred pieces with a loud crash.

Roland's previous joy crumbled as he saw Yang start to shake, her pupils dilated as before at the sound. In a flash, she scurried back against the couch, her breathing became erratic as she started glancing left and right as if looking for a way out.

"Yang…YANG!" Pyrrha called out, gripping her shoulders securely. "It's okay, we're here, we're both here…"

Yang locked her gaze onto Pyrrha's refusing to look anywhere else. Roland could not have been completely certain, but she seemed to grow more apprehensive when she had briefly glanced at him. Her shakes were only slowly receding.

"Roland," Pyrrha called out, noticing her refusal to look at him. "Perhaps you could prepare lunch, it is getting quite late. I will clean up the mess and sit with her."

"S-sure," he replied, trying to not show how much it hurt that she couldn't even bear to look at him. He headed to the kitchen; Pyrrha knew full well he could barely work a microwave, that had always been his mother's domain. Perhaps he could find some frozen dinners to warm up…

 _She was doing so well, was it the crash of the lamp that set off the attack?_

Roland considered the ramifications, redoubling his resolve to make sure she had all the time needed to get better. He'd just have to start watching out for loud noises, even if sound became his enemy he wouldn't lose.

 **On the open sea…**

"RED ALERT!" The lookout screamed in fear at the colossal Grimm that loomed over their ship. It had not attacked yet, instead choosing to instill fear in all onboard before it struck.

 _It's almost as big as the dragon…_

Klaxon warnings alerted all passengers to seek shelter below decks, crew members sprinted to their battle stations. With Grimm attacks on the rise, such ships were determined to prevent themselves from being easy prey.

Esmerelda drew her blade, immediately extending it to the length of a halberd. To her relief, Sun leapt forward, the shimmer of his staff emerging from beneath the cloak.

 _He is armed._

The black-haired woman had taken action first, lunging towards the serpent-Grimm. The auburn-haired huntress gasped in surprise as the fighter suddenly duplicated herself, giving her a full look at her identity.

"BLAKE?"

The faunus member of Team RWBY was wearing a long white coat, tight black pants and boots with a midriff-bearing vest. Esmerelda hadn't recognized her at first glance without her bow as it had been removed, allowing her black cat-ears to stand proud and tall. Despite being unaware of the others aboard, she did not hesitated to lodge her Gambol Shroud into the Grimm's neck. Using it as leverage she swung around its body, emptying her clips into its head with seemingly no effect. After realizing the futility of her attacks, she bounced back towards the ship with a graceful landing.

"We have to help her!" Sun shouted, but Esmerelda held him back.

"Wait until the first salvo!" She warned him, well aware of the armaments of the vessel.

"Salvo?"

On cue, an entire line of cannons emerged from port and starboard openings built into the ship. The two covered their ears as the firing line started a concussive barrage towards the enemy. The monster shirked back, still unharmed yet the cannonballs were clearly felt as it pulled away to a safe distance.

"It's on the run!" One of the crew called out in premature celebration.

Once a sufficient distance, the creature reared up high in the air, arching its body with a sickening crunching sound. Within a matter of seconds, an enormous pair of wings sprouted from its back and it took to the sky with a roar, easily avoiding the renewed barrage.

 _It IS a dragon…_

The ship was armed with a dozen light guns on either side and a single heavy cannon atop which had finally been revealed and opened fire. Unfortunately, as a consequence of its larger caliber ammunition, it was slow to aim and fire, giving the sea-dragon more than enough time to avoid its shells which could pop the head off a Goliath. None of the rounds were even coming close against an airborne foe as streamlined and agile as it was.

"How many clones can you make at once?" Esmerelda asked as they ran towards the bow where it was currently encircling.

"Easily? Two."

A pair of magenta-clones of Esmerelda's naginata, Amenonuhoko, shimmered over her head, drifting down into Sun's hands.

"Use them!" She shouted after sprinting past Blake who only then noticed her.

"Ezzy?" She barely had time to comprehend her presence before she felt a weight on her head as another friend from Beacon used her body as a springboard to leap high into the air. "SUN?"

Esmerelda jumped high, though not enough to reach the airborne enemy. Once at the apex of her leap, a new weapon appeared, grasping it tightly, the gravity-defying blade dragged her towards the dragon. It swiped its massive tail towards her which she dodged despite feeling the force of the winds as it rushed by, finally landing atop its spine. With a grunt of effort she buried her weapon into its back to secure her position, using her real blade to slash repeatedly at its thick scales.

While the young woman had it distracted, Sun took action, clasping his hands together with a grin; a pair of light-clones burst to life and followed his path slamming into the Grimm's forehead. Both clones claimed a single naginata copy and lodged them into the snout of the dragon, causing it to shake furiously in pain. Even after Sun's clones dispersed, the long bladed polearms remained securely within.

The Grimm roared in anger, opening its maw as a powerful crackle of energy formed within. With an exhalation, a beam of pure electricity burst forth in a vain attempt to hit the monkey-faunus currently riding it. The blast scored a hit on the side of the vessel, obliterating the entire starboard line of light cannons as it cut across the surface.

Blake continued to fire her weapon towards the flying Grimm, screaming in her head why the two of them were on the ship. Angered, the sea-serpent performed a barrel roll, ripping Esmerelda from its back and depositing her back on the boat as she crash landed next to her faunus friend.

"Hi Blake, what are the odds?"

"What are you two doing here?" She shouted in frustration.

"Oh, you know…" Sun replied casually far in the distance despite being in the process of holding on for dear life while riding the bucking sea-dragon. "Just uh…hanging ooouuuut!"

"You look good, not now, later," Esmerelda hurriedly replied. "We need to go for the weak points, wings, eyes, perhaps even the…"

As she formulated a plan of attack, the colossus snuffed a burst of electricity through its snout, causing Sun to lose his grip. With a flex of its wings, the young huntsman was sent hurtling towards the nearby rock formations. Blake did not hesitate, using her weapon's cord to slingshot towards him, barely catching Sun before he would have crashed into the rocks below.

"My hero!" He gushed, flicking a hand off his chest as if he were a blushing damsel in distress.

"You're not supposed to be here!" She was livid with him, yet a hint of concern for how close he had come to injury hid behind it.

"Yeah?" He countered while still in her arms, sticking his face close. "Well, it looks like you could use all the help you can get. Three on one are better odds!"

In the distance they could see Esmerelda bouncing around the ship, dodging swooping attacks from the beast while trying to keep pace. Blake sighed heavily in defeat as she unceremoniously dropped Sun to the ground. "Just shut up and fight!" With that final word she rushed back to the ship.

"Yes ma'am!" The leader of Team SSSN replied while casually lying out across the flat surface as if he were posing for one of Horatio's portraits.

 **A few moments earlier…**

Esmerelda watched Blake spring off towards Sun's rescue, the Grimm ignoring her as it focused on the ship, opening its maw wide. Terror slowly etched itself into her features as she realized the buildup of electricity within…aimed squarely at the bridge. It continued weaving around so quickly no further cannon fire could land a hit. Team HERO's lancer leapt high, summoning eight clones instantly as a beam of pure energy burst forth from its mouth. She quickly formed the copies together, commanding them to spin rapidly until each individual one could not be made out by the naked eye. She rotated them into a wall as she had done at the docks of Vale so long ago…

 _I miss Roland's shield._

The blast of electricity impacted her barrier, splitting the beam around her and shattering two copies. A few rays cut into the hull, however most were thankfully redirected harmlessly into the sea. Sparing one of her extra blades, she commanded it to break off and fly straight for the sea-dragon while it was stationary and focused on her. The javelin found its, mark, piercing the left eye.

The beam cut out in synch with the roar of pain, enraged the serpent dove for her, forcing her to leap from the roof, barely scraping over a claw. It was fast for its size; she barely had time to stab another magenta clone into its back where the wings emerged. As she landed, it readied another blast, she couldn't recover in time.

A split second before she would have been hit, he was there, Sun emerged before her, twirling his staff expertly. It was too fast to tell, but it looked like he succeeded in scattering the energy harmlessly into the deck all with that lovable goofy grin as if it'd taken no effort at all. Blake dropped down beside him.

"Huntsman! Huntresses!" The Captain called out behind them. "If you can clip its wings and draw it out towards the bow, we can take it!"

Sun looked back towards the huntresses, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well…you two have the swords."

The winged serpent did not give time to coordinate, enraged by the loss of its eye and the instrument responsible continuing to send surges of pain within, it swooped down. The three jumped again, Blake risking a sprint along the length of its body to shred its left wing while Sun cracked the Grimm hard in the snout with his staff, using the momentum to propel himself to safety as its head dented the bow of the ship.

A clawed hand found Esmerelda, locking her in its grips like a vice. Her aura sputtered under the pressure, it was so strong. Fire burned in her gut even through her flickering defenses; with a growl of defiance she wedged her real blade along with a half dozen others into its wrist. Between the pain of its clipped wing and slashed arm, the sea-dragon released her, causing Esmerelda to slump to the deck weakly. She did not get back up.

Meanwhile, Blake had leapt from the tail upon completing her run just it flicked to the side, throwing her towards the nearby boulders. She prepared and braced herself for a rough landing.

Her impact never happened as the ever present monkey-faunus appeared out of nowhere, catching her in his arms in an identical fashion to how she had done for him not long before. He was still smiling.

"This is the part where you say it," he remarked, tilting his head upward as if to await her reply. Blake could only groan at his enthusiasm though could not resist the hint of red rising to her cheeks.

Before she could reply, the rocks started to cave out beneath them as the dragon slammed into it full force. It had abandoned the defeated quarry on the ship, now seeking retribution for its lost wing leaving it waterlogged.

"Maybe later!" Sun cried as the two scattered, jumping to every outcropping and land mass they could find in a mad dash to avoid its teeth.

No matter where they jumped, dove or hid, the immense Grimm stayed on them, destroying all in its path. Sun leapt a moment too slow, nearly being devoured were it not for Blake swinging in to save him at the last moment. They did not remain safe, however as Blake's line grew taught, swaying them to a stop just as the dragon got a bead on them, opening its maw to fire…

Suddenly, the Grimm jerked downward in an awkward fashion as if being dragged. The change in direction caused its devastating beam to miss the helpless faunus and disperse harmlessly into the sea a split second before the cruise ship slammed into it at full speed pinning it to the rock.

Esmerelda was kneeling upon the prow, hands raised with a vein throbbing in her forehead as if under incredible stress. She had reached out to the numerous copies of her weapon still lodged within the Grimm. Using all her strength she had pulled them harshly, succeeding in adjusting the serpent's aim if ever so slightly and was currently holding it in place at great effort.

"FIRE!" She heard the captain shout from the shattered windows of the bridge.

The heavy cannon erupted, the shot so close Esmerelda could hear ringing in her ears, but the pain was worth it. The shell exploded, blasting even the dragon's head apart above its claws, leaving the decapitated body to slump into the water as it disintegrated into a great plume of black smoke. Esmerelda finally released her hold, allowing her copies to disperse as she collapsed to the deck exhausted. It was over.

Over on the rocks, Sun cheered, completely oblivious to Blake's look of annoyance and anger at his presence now that she had a moment to relax.

"Alright!" Sun cheered as he raised his hand high expecting her to reciprocate the gesture. "Up top!"

Blake turned on him; she was absolutely fuming as she raised her hand. Sun realized too late it was aimed as his cheek rather than the outstretched hand.

*SMACK!*

 **Shion Village…**

Dead…everyone was dead.

Ember and Tyrian had finally reached the village of Shion, it appeared the word of bandit trouble had been accurate. The devastation was clearly the work of a combination of human greed and Grimm ferocity. Ember checked the pulses of the first dozen they found, but realized soon enough it was pointless. He could not help but stare at the destroyed sentry tower, scorched black from an incredible weapon. Tyrian on the other hand appeared to be absolutely entranced by the carnage around them, his near-manic expression of fascination never fading.

"Do you want…to ask one of them for directions?" He giggled in an unsettling manner.

"If you can find one who can speak," Ember replied quietly, closing the lids of a woman who had died running, her eyes wide open in fear. She had been slashed in the back by a bladed weapon; no Grimm claws could have made the wound. "Someone was here recently though."

"And here I thought I was the tracker," Tyrian looked almost insulted until he noticed his armored companion pointing ahead.

Near the center of town there was a small unmarked stone acting as a grave marker, the ground recently disturbed around it. No doubt remained that a body had been buried beneath.

"Hmmm, yes," Tyrian almost scurried over, looking at the grave with a calculating gaze. "Done by the attackers? No, no if they had that conscience they wouldn't be here or would have done it for everyone…"

Ember looked away in disgust as his eccentric companion began to dig up the grave with his bare hands, enough to get a look at the body within. He immediately broke out into laughter.

"A huntsman!" He continued to cackle. "Of course, of course, someone came by but was in a hurry so they made a bit of time to spare burying one of their own. And look, they were even kind enough to leave us some bread crumbs."

Tyrian referred to the scuffled footprints no doubt belonging to the ones responsible for the impromptu grave. They were all over the place around the grave, yet became clearer the further they got leading away from Shion.

Ember's nose caught a strong scent; leaning closer to the unmarked rock used as the tombstone he took a whiff.

 _Alcohol? A bit of drink for the dead?_ He briefly considered they may be following a group other than Ruby's unless one of them picked up a bad habit since Beacon. Nevertheless, it was their only lead.

"See, I told ya they'd send more."

Salem's trackers turned at the words, behind them a dozen ragged-looking men and women in various casual clothes started surrounding them. They were all armed with simplistic weapons ranging from machetes to pistols. Only their leader appeared to have a weapon of any note.

"Oooooo, what a development," Tyrian sneered though managed to maintain a modicum of self-control, standing up with a stretch of his shoulders. "I presume you were responsible for the party?"

"Our tribe does good work," the largest in the front answered. "The Grimm moved in a little too quick for my taste, didn't get a good look at everything there was to see."

"So you came back," Ember clenched his armored hands in anger. "For seconds?"

"And thirds and fourths until they stop sending huntsman for easy pickings."

"Uh, sir," a blonde woman behind him wielding an antique shotgun muttered. "He looks tougher than the last ones."

"Bah, he's all bluster in that tin can," the lead bandit assured her and the others. "Surround and tire him out, the other looks a few marbles short of the set."

 _Well, technically he's not wrong…_

"You were oddly courteous with him," Ember motioned to the grave.

"Not our work."

"Another group of Huntresses?" Tyrian's face lit up at the source of information that had walked into his clutches. "Perhaps a delicate little one in red?" The bandits stared blankly without replying.

"Tell us who came through here," Ember started. "And we'll let you leave."

The collected group started to laugh at the surrounded travelers. None save the first woman seemed to be worried of Tyrian's unsettling gaze, Ember's armored form or the black tube he carried on his back as tall as he was.

"That armor looks nice, dibs on the helmet," the leader called as he pointed his rifle and fired.

Ember did not move in the slightest, the weapon was a high-bore firearm capable of punching holes through an Atlesian Knight. The shot rang off a shoulder, ricocheting harmlessly into a nearby wall. He didn't even have to use his semblance, so thick was the armor provided by the good professor. The bandits finally showed some sign of worry at the complete ineffectiveness of the attack. Tyrian was reveling in their growing fear, barely containing himself.

 _These are the ones…they doomed this village. Humanity has enough to worry about with the Grimm, yet there are still those like this who prey on their own. Monsters come in many forms._

Ember's mood darkened at those thoughts, his Maiden would have been proud. He glanced back at Tyrian, his visage still hidden behind the imposing black helm.

"We need them to talk, do hold back won't you?"

With only a slight frown of disappointment the man shot off to the side faster than could be followed though half the bandits attempted to with their guns. At the same time, Ember lowered the hefty cylinder on his back to the ground, he wouldn't need it yet. The outlaws opened fire at the speedy hunter, their bullets not even coming close to touching him.

As they were distracted, Ember started running towards them at a full sprint. Three of their sword-wielders ran up to bar his path, swinging their blades towards his arm and shoulder joints. Clearly they were used to fighting armored opponents. Looks of shock and fear spread across their faces as, despite striking the supposed weakest part of his ensemble, their poor-quality weapons shattered into fragments that rained across the stonework. Horatio reached over, grabbing one with each hand and slamming their heads together. They slumped to the ground and did not get up. The last had no time to move before the armored knight seized his collar with a wound up fist waiting.

 _It just doesn't feel right fighting humans, they barely have any aura._

"K-kill him!" The leader shouted again, firing three more rounds, each one just as unsuccessful at piercing his suit as the last. "I said k…"

Only then did he realize his band was being picked apart behind him. Already two were lodged through the sides of buildings, three were flat on the ground and the last few were frantically trying to follow the swift attacker, barely able to keep from aiming at each other as he circled them like a predator toying with its meal. They did not last more than a few additional seconds.

Turning back, he realized too late that the knight had slipped into melee range. He pulled the trigger once more which struck the helm point blank. It left a smudge mark and nothing more, Ember having used a hint of his semblance to minimize the damage. Gripping the barrel of his gun, he snapped it with a single swift motion.

 _She was right, with how heavy this metal is I have kinetic energy to spare on command. I'll have to thank her for that again when I get back. Maybe I can find some tulips along the way, she hasn't gotten to leave Salem's realm in so long after all._

"Now," Ember's dark eyes shadowed by the helmet looked into the terrified tear-filled raider who in that moment was regretting all the decisions which led to this moment. "I believe you were telling us about a group that came through here first…"

 **Mistral Farm…**

Oscar yawned as quietly as he could from his hiding place. He had hollowed out an especially large patch of hay near the barn to lie in wait for the chicken thief to make their move again. He had been waiting every night since the last incident but so far it had been all quiet. If it went on, his aunt would be sure to notice the bags under his eyes despite her constant pining for the return of the knight from the other day.

 _Maybe it was just an animal or lone highwayman too afraid to come near the house,_ he thought as the night droned on. _After all, the opening was big enough for a human hand to reach in, or…_

 _ **Big enough for many types of smaller Grimm that rely on stealth over size or numbers…such as the rapier wasps, fox hounds or…**_

Oscar shot up, shaking his head. Where had that come from? The idea that it must have surely been one of a dozen different species of Grimm had just popped into his mind. He couldn't even name two kinds to save his life most days.

A loud bell chime snapped him back to the present, his trap had been sprung! Oscar shot out of his shelter, pitchfork in hand as he raced to the coop.

He arrived to find the clamp he had set over the hole broken on the ground; whoever or whatever it was had freed itself. He had placed a fake chicken of feathers and glue in the opening and all were thankfully accounted for. Nonetheless, a trail of green paint he had set in the opening led away to the woods. The path was made up of splotches with no obvious track or footprint, perhaps the sneak was only partially marked.

 _I have to stop it,_ Oscar told himself, gripping his makeshift weapon tighter as he raced after the trail. If the trap hurt them then there was a chance he could catch up to it and ensure their farm was protected.

 _ **It would be best to wait for sunrise, when it is…**_

Oscar ignored the back of his mind; if he waited it would get away and hide for another week or two before coming back. If it wasn't planning to go away, it had to be dealt with immediately. In the dark it was difficult to see but the young farmhand kept vigilant, looking over every bush and threatening shadow as he followed the trail. After several tense minutes he found a larger puddle than the rest as if the thief had stopped for a time and it had coalesced. There was no sign of it or any additional tracks, the trail had gone cold.

"Ah nuts," Oscar sighed, kicking a nearby patch of tall grass. He had put so much time and work into this trap, for it to have failed so completely…

 _ **ABOVE YOU!**_

Oscar looked up at the loud thought in his head, barely catching sight of something small and black dropping from the branches above. He barely had time to stumble forwards, dodging it by a hair's breadth. He could feel a trickle of blood from the shallow cut across the side of his face.

It was relatively small, barely two feet long like some sort of rodent. It vaguely resembled a mongoose with black fur and burning yellowish-red eyes. It was clearly a Grimm but Oscar did not recognize the species.

 _ **A Herpesta!**_

Apparently Oscar did recognize it; he must have seen it in a book somewhere. While small, the Grimm had its teeth bared, face locked in a menacing snarl that sent waves of cold through Oscar. He had never faced a Grimm before. He jabbed at it with his makeshift weapon again and again clumsily, the monster aptly bending and dodging each attempt with ease.

 _ **It will try to feint in order to draw out an opening, do not fall for it.**_

Sure enough, the Mongoose-Grimm hissed, moving forward as if to strike, had it not been for the words in the back of his mind the young boy would have flinched. Instead, something compelled him to hold his ground, causing the Grimm to pull back, disappointed at the lack of movement. It scurried around him; impossibly fast for its size. Oscar could scarcely follow it.

The stalking beast leapt after nearly getting out of sight, Oscar barely had time to swing his pitchfork before its teeth found his neck. The fangs bit through the wood, decapitating the head of his instrument and leaving him standing there holding little more than a wooden stick. The terrified young man fell backwards, collapsing to the ground.

He was completely open; the Grimm struck, leaping for his helpless prey once more.

Oscar's arm moved on its own, sliding the handle until he was holding the tip almost like a sword. In the blink of an eye, he thrust it outward expertly as if he'd done it a hundred times. His arm moved so fast, before the Grimm even neared him, he had jabbed it a dozen times…two dozen? The force of the attack cracked his wooden handle, splintering it while blasting back his opponent, slamming it into the oak behind it with a sickening crunch. Thankfully, the Grimm started smoking, disintegrating into the air at last.

The young farmhand just sat there panting heavily, his arm was killing him, he'd never practiced anything like that, it was like…

 _ **Instinct?**_

"Yea, that," he almost answered the thought in his head. "My aunt will be furious at what I did, but I got it! She is going to be so proud of me!"

 _ **Well, proud of us, but you did quite well considering your complete lack of training…**_

Oscar froze, only then realizing the voice in his head was separate from his own thoughts, speaking of one thing while he was trying to focus on another. He suddenly became fearful, scrambling towards a puddle of water nearby caused by the evening's rainstorm. With a pounding heart and sweaty hands he peered into the rippling depths.

He saw a face but it was not his own, it looked like an old man with glasses and all white hair. He was wearing a smile as if to try and placate the boy's fears despite the ridiculous situation he now found himself in.

"Hello, my name is Professor Ozpi…"

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

 **Patch…**

Yang had kept herself busy since calming down with chores. It was dreary, normally the last thing she'd ever want to be doing but at the moment, it was all she could bring herself to do. After sweeping the outside porch she had collected the mail of what few local letters could arrive on a small island like Patch. She sighed disappointedly as if she had actually expected correspondences from one of her teammates or someone else she had known from Beacon.

Pyrrha was out back in the shed, rummaging around with some project she had been working on. Yang couldn't imagine what she could be doing, other than Bumblebee and a few spare parts the equipment inside had no materials to work on. She didn't know where Roland had gotten off to after preparing the reheated meal that had awaited her.

Yang had decided to do the dishes next, it was difficult with only a single arm but she found a way. They wouldn't be as clean as she could get them before, but such details didn't really matter to her. With a dull expression she continued her task, trying to finish up so she could sit down.

 _Roland looked like him again_ , she sighed, the feeling of guilt washing over her again.

She couldn't help it, when she heard that lamp fall she was back at Beacon…facing him. Why her wounded psyche chose Roland to personify the one responsible for her dismemberment she couldn't even begin to guess. Hesitantly, she glanced where her right arm used to be, currently obscured by her sleeve tied up tight to hide it. Despite all he had done for her, she didn't think she could see him again, not yet.

It was that sense of lethargy that caused her fingers to slip, releasing the glass to clank off the side of the sink towards the floor. Her eyes widened at her mistake as it neared the floor with no hope to reach it in time.

A flash of yellow entered her field of view as a shape flew past, catching the glass before it could hit the ground. Roland had dove out of nowhere, fingers gripping the drinking instrument and cradling it safely. He could not stop himself and slid into the nearby cupboard, somehow ending upside down with his head spinning.

"Roland?" She gasped, realizing who it was; in that moment her concern overrode any fear. "Are you alright?"

"Never better," he groaned, clearly in pain at his unexpected swan dive. "Photo finish," he produced the pristine glass and held it aloft awkwardly like a prize. "I think you cleaned up before a little TOO well," he rationalized upon stumbling to his feet, cracking his back several times for good measure. "It really mopped the floor with me."

Yang couldn't help herself, his previously upside down state, hair tussled and wet, yet a goofy grin still present on his face caused a soft chuckle to escape her lips. The second time she had laughed that day.

 _And it's from him…it always seems to be…_

He held the cup out to her, it was the last dish she hadn't finished cleaning. Already a large pile of sopping wet plates, bowels and other utensils had accumulated as she washed.

"Maybe…I could help dry them off?"

Yang didn't answer, reaching out to take the glass, her fingers brushing against his as she gripped the cold mug. The same thought ran through both their minds in that moment.

 _When was the last time we just held hands?_

 **On the open sea…**

"Oh thank you huntress…thank you!"

A group of passengers had approached the three after the battle once the commotion had died down and night fell. They could not help thanking them over and over again all the while asking if such an attack could occur again. Esmerelda assured them it was just their duty and that they would be safe the remainder of the voyage. Sun and Blake broke off while she finished the discussions and were having a heated argument of their own.

"I'm not going anywhere near the White Fang," Blake admitted as Esmerelda finally rejoined them. "Not yet."

"Seriously?" Sun seemed so confused.

"I…need to sort things out."

"Then why not do it with your team…your friends?" He stressed, throwing his arms up for emphasis.

"The others were going through so much after the fall," Esmerelda finally interjected. "I saw them at Patch, they were…"

"You two are ones to talk!" Blake snapped at them, first glaring at Sun. "Assuming Scarlet, Neptune and Sage aren't hiding below deck! And you, what about Roland and Olivia? How could you leave them after…after the tower!?"

"Well," Sun started first. "Do you really think we could have tricked Neptune onto a second boat? We sort of blew that chance heading to Vale for the festival. They opted to fly back to Mistral; I'll catch up with them."

"I said my goodbyes at Patch," Esmerelda threw back at her. "They KNOW I am out here fighting. Does anyone on your team know what you are doing at all? Where are you even heading?"

"…Home, to Menagerie."

Esmerelda's harsh expression softened at her answer, she couldn't bear to do anything but tell as much of the truth as she could.

"…Me too."

"You grew up in Menagerie?" Sun asked, greatly confused. "But you're a…you know…human."

"Only a few years," she admitted. "When the White Fang movement started becoming more…violent, my family moved me to the mainland. I couldn't have been more than ten or eleven at most."

"But the island is so small, how did we never meet?"

"My grandmother was…very overprotective," Esmerelda explained to Blake, growing hesitant to continue. "I didn't go out very much. I wanted to see how she was doing."

 _I don't recall any humans living on Menagerie_ , Blake pondered, trying to think of who her grandmother could be. _But no point in shattering her hopes en route…_

"Don't think you two are going alone!" Sun added once there was a long enough pause. "The Grimm are getting worse, that much is obvious. "And just because you aren't going after the White Fang doesn't mean they won't be after you. What kind of guy would I be if I let two beautiful ladies go it alone? And besides…I'm kind of already on the boat.

Esmerelda let a chuckle slip as she just shook her head. What was it about Sun that allowed him to stay so positive despite everything happening around them?

"Also Blake," he continued. "I always thought you looked WAY better without the bow…"

 **Salem's Domain…**

Cinder groaned in pain as the feeling of insects moving through her left arm intensified, a combination of her scarred throat and drive to never show weakness being the only things preventing her from crying out. She struggled to bring it back under control while her arm sought to command itself as if having a mind of its own.

"Don't fight it girl," Salem quietly instructed. They were within her council chamber, her master in black having summoned her for further treatment. Mercury and Emerald were standing at the entrance as guards. Despite Ember's request, there was nothing they could do to ease Cinder's trials; one wrong word to Salem could be the end of them.

The pale figure had her hand outstretched towards the Fall Maiden, the crawling sensation growing worse as she curled her fingers. Salem was working to acclimate Cinder's new addition to her body and it grew harder to control with each session.

 _But it's also growing stronger; every time I master it I can feel the power swell. This pain is nothing, I will conquer it and nothing will stop me…_

"It can sense your trepidation; you must make it…dread you."

Cinder focused harder, demanding obedience from the rebellious appendage. Each time it pushed back, causing spikes of pain with every attempt at subjugation.

"You were making such progress the other day," Salem's remark bit deep while she strove to strengthen her Maiden. "Whatever could have changed since then?"

Cinder looked away, acting as if the strain of wrestling for control over the arm prevented her from looking Salem in the eyes. It had been cooperating perfectly before…

 _What changed?_

Before Ember had left and they shared their farewell on the terrace, the arm had been completely subservient. She remembered the burning thoughts in the back of her mind, threatening that if it did anything to ruin their moment together she would tear it off and…

Almost instantly as the thoughts reentered her mind, the arm's defiant twitching ceased. She had full control over it once more.

"Ah, excellent," Salem complimented as she sensed her creation withdrawing at the imposing nature of Cinder's presence, though her scowl returned somewhat as she saw Cinder's eye. The slightest change that would have gone unnoticed by any who did not know her heart and soul, she had used thoughts of him to do it. "You cannot keep relying on that boy young one," she warned in a tone akin to a mother cautioning her daughter over her first crush. "As…pleasing as I am sure his presence is, do not forget he is still but a tool."

Cinder gritted her teeth, attempting to feign it was due to the pain that had already faded; otherwise Salem may have taken offense to the disapproving look at her harsh words. Before they could continue, a familiar clicking sound could be heard from the entrance.

A seer, the same that had summoned her to the meeting floated inside, spiked tentacles hovering alongside in a deceptively calm manner. Everyone knew better, even Emerald and Mercury took a step back, eyes wide in restrained fear at what they knew the Grimm was capable of. An ominous yellow light pulsated within its depths; none in the chamber save Salem knew where such a creature had come from. The strange, unsettling clicking noise was the only sound it produced as it made its way over to the table, coming to a stop between Cinder and Salem. The figure in black stared into the light, narrowing her eyes as if annoyed at what she saw within. Suddenly relaxing, she leaned forward to rest her chin on pale hands, the dagger-like gaze bored into Cinder's.

"Cinder, I'm going to ask you this one more time and I expect a CLEAR answer. Did you…kill Ozpin?"

Cinder hesitated at the suspicious question. Turning towards the door, she raised a hand to beckon Emerald to approach and speak for her.

"NO!" Salem boomed, slamming her hands onto the table as her eyes flared red. Emerald jumped and shirked back to the door, only Cinder remained unmoved by her master's show of anger. "I want to hear YOU say it…and none of that sign language you've been wasting your time learning."

Cinder's face softened, clearly straining to work her vocal cords long out of practice. The slightest attempt to speak caused incredible pain, after several seconds she finally forced out a single word at great effort.

"Y-yes."

Salem's stare did not waver, after several seconds she appeared to accept the answer yet immediately had another question.

"And our dear Ember, has he confided in you? Have you learned the secret behind his strength?"

A look of hesitation and concern flashed across Cinder's face for a moment, praying that Salem did not catch it. Unlike the first query, she answered as quickly as her injuries would allow.

"…No."

"Hmmm, that is…a pity. You must be losing your touch young one," Salem sighed in a clearly disappointed manner. "Come forward girl."

She was referring to Emerald who upon realizing she had become the focus of her attention slowly shuffled forward, a little faster once she saw a subtle head nod from Cinder. She stood as close as she could without getting near the seer still floating between.

"You worked…closely with the lad while Cinder was incapacitated. Did he reveal anything to you?"

"N-no," Emerald stuttered, glancing awkwardly between Salem and Cinder. "H-he never brought up his powers or fighting, we just…talked."

"What about? Do be detailed girl; anything could be a clue…"

 **Months ago…**

Cinder still slept, not having woken since the battle. Emerald had not needed to use her powers since the first time as the Maiden's dreams appeared calm and eventless. Mercury served ever to watch and warn should others encroach while Emerald had chosen a more personal position, watching over the woman who had saved her, and he was there too.

Horatio leaned back on the chair, small book in-hand. She had memorized that little book a dozen times over as he continued to read, finish and repeat. Without any other reading material available, save what Salem hoarded, there were few other options. Trays of eaten food rested in front of them, the aptly-named thief had foregone leaving the room for any reason since she had arrived at the keep. It was admirable, but she wouldn't even leave to eat anything. Horatio had taken up the duty, ensuring there was both food on hand for when Cinder awoke and for the girl who refused to leave her side. He was hoping she was warming up to his cooking as it was all she had eaten in days.

"…One of light, one of dark, while they worked together to create humanity it was ever the goal of the dark's creatures of Grimm to destroy them. The reason for this dichotomy has not yet been explained by…"

"MUST you keep going on and on?" Emerald snapped. She had just lost another round of Solitaire and the continued lack of improvement was grating on her.

"Until I have more to read, yes," Horatio replied obstinately. "You said no conversations and no talking to myself…it's either this book or silence."

"Then pick silence."

Horatio finally snapped the book shut, leaning forward in defiance of her commands. She wasn't the only one growing frustrated with the situation. He tried to be cordial despite everything, but he had had enough.

"How about conversation then, you know just about everything about me right?" He was certain Cinder had shared their conversations together or she'd simply watched him. "What about you? How did you meet Cinder?"

"Why don't you ask Mercury his life story?"

"I did, he was just as vague and according to him it was a short tale. But I am asking you YOUR story."

"Back off," Emerald threateningly locked her cold, unblinking expression onto him.

"Unlike Mercury, you're more than just following orders. Helping her like this, your paranoia over me plotting something…it screams admiration and real devotion."

"I could just be trying to keep my boss alive? You ever think about that?"

"I did," he refused to look away. "But then I wondered why you made me think Cinder jumped off a cliff last year."

Emerald's eyes widened at the memory, Horatio caught it instantly as he had not been truly certain until that moment it was her.

"I knew it! I thought I was going insane then, but it was your semblance wasn't it? It drove me nuts trying to figure it out, why would you make me think she had jumped…and then it hit me."

"I said," she growled. "Back…"

"You were testing me, to see if I would leap off after her."

Emerald jumped to her feet, her hand swinging across the air to slap his cheek. Horatio raised his hand, catching her at the wrist. Despite now holding her in his vice-like grip, he felt a sharp sting on his face. His own semblance took effect, causing her blow to not stagger him in the slightest. He knew full well he was not really holding her and it was all part of her own semblance making him see what she wanted, yet he did not falter.

"We both love her," he whispered low in case of prying ears. "So I just want to know what drew you to her, you know me…I want to know you."

"You want to know me?" Emerald looked enraged, it was the first time he realized her crimson eyes were so similar to his own. "I had nothing, living on the streets without a lien to my name, not knowing if I would find or steal enough food to make it through the day! You grew up in your safe little bubble, even after your family died you were protected…I didn't have that luxury!"

Horatio's eyes saddened and his grip loosened at her words which only seemed to cause her rage to bubble higher.

"You want know why I follow her? Why I make sure ANYONE who gets near her is worthy to be there? It's because I owe Cinder EVERYTHING, she has worked so hard to get what she wants and I won't let ANYONE hold her back or get in her way…satisfied?"

Horatio released the illusion of Emerald he was holding, taking a step back.

"I'm sorry, though I hope by now you believe that I only want to keep her safe, her and those important to her." Emerald just stared him down, it was clear she did not yet.

"It's going to take more than kind words to prove that, when I see it I'll believe it."

"You mean like bringing Cinder here for medical attention? When I could have gone anywhere else?"

"Then why didn't you?"

Horatio gritted his teeth, fist clenched which was noticed by Emerald. "Because after what she did and how bad her wounds were, I couldn't risk someone saying no to helping her…not even the CHANCE of it. She never would have survived..."

His thoughts fell to his friends, Esmerelda, Roland, Olivia…Ruby…everyone at Beacon, the look of anger in Jaune and concern on Ruby's face. After what Cinder did, he could not take the risk despite how much he'd wanted to…how badly he'd wanted to.

He held no anger towards Ruby for what she did; he'd stepped in front of the shot after all. Despite that, he could not help but feel a cold sweat forming on his brow at the memory. Cradled in Cinder's arms on the tower, silver light burning the left half of her body yet she stood strong, had she moved the light would have reached him too. And then he saw it, Ruby…with those terrifying eyes…

 _Everyone, I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't much of a team leader._

Emerald's features softened somewhat, clearly not having considered that before saying her peace. She almost looked regretful.

"If that is true…"

A soft groan interrupted them; a sound the two had awaited for so had interrupted their harsh words. On the bed, Cinder's lone remaining eye fluttered open, her mouth flopping open and closed in a vain attempt at sound.

"Cinder!" Horatio and Emerald called simultaneously, overjoyed that she was awake though afraid to embrace or touch her for fear of exacerbating her injuries. Their argument was long forgotten.

Cinder had no strength and could not get up with barely enough energy to move her head back and forth to tell who stood over her. To Emerald's disappointment, her gaze lingered on Horatio a few moments longer though she could not tell if it was due to contentment or surprise at his presence. Regardless, they did not need words to tell what her face was screaming at them.

"Keep it down, I am trying to rest."

 **Present…**

"I see," Salem nodded once the tale was complete. "The boy seems to have a talent for drawing others close to him, perhaps in time he will become one of my emissaries." Sitting up straighter, she crossed her hands over one another politely before turning back to the seer. "Reinforce our numbers at Beacon, the relic IS there."

The seer bobbed slightly before turning to float back out of the room, Mercury and Emerald made sure to give it a wide berth. Cinder turned back to Salem, noticing she was scratching her chin, seemingly ignoring her as she looked uncharacteristically confused.

"What are you planning?" She muttered into the night, her machinations were going so well…it would be a shame for an unknown to throw a cog into them.

 **Separated from one another in their trials, yet with friends ever in their thoughts, our heroes push forward. The members of Team HERO continue their struggles across Remnant. As always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	5. The Pasts that Forge Us

**As you might have noticed, I have started updating Vol. 4 in to the main original story as well. This is only to have a complete version for the future. Rest assured, I will continue to both update the original AND this separate stand-alone version. Once Volume 4 ends I will likely return to updating the original depending on how things go.**

 **Jwebb96: Exactly, Ember's secret is hers and hers alone in her mind…though it is interesting it ironically follows his family's tradition of the only person intended to know the secret…**

 **Batomys2731: I am so glad you liked it, a regular roller coaster for the poor huntress. :( I thought the same about Oscar, so many other interesting ways he could have found out about the guy in his head. Precisely, Emerald may not like others or trust them from past experience, but even she cannot deny how genuine Horatio has been despite his previous allegiances.**

 **Constipated Genius: Your choice of words was perfect, she has anchors, people who didn't run or leave during her healing process. One is a good friend, the other perhaps something more ;). I LOVE the name you give Esmerelda's weapon lol, the actual is a bit of a tongue twisting tornado…but fitting for the source material. I agree wholeheartedly on the dragon…that thing was nearly the size of the one at Beacon, would have thought it'd be a bit beefier. I was hoping that scene with Cinder would have some impact…showing her willing to lie RIGHT to Salem without hesitation…**

 **Lelouch of Zero: You caught my Chibi foreshadowing :D I'll have to be sneakier in the future lol. Indeed, the history of those two revealed in this Volume are the reason I was so "mum" on their past in Vol. 1-3, I hope you enjoy them as I move forward.**

 **bookwrym321: Thank you, the sea battle was especially fun to write, as is any chance to have Yang push past her PTSD with a little help. Don't worry, Tai should be home aaannnny minute now xD, and as for Pyrrha…we shall see. ;)**

 **And with that…ONTO THE SHOW!**

Team RNJRR opened the door, rushing inside the inn quickly as a downpour had begun since arriving. It was the last sizable town on their path toward Mistral and was well defended against Grimm attacks. Regardless of their safety, the news had not been promising when they arrived.

Apparently Grimm attacks had worsened in the surrounding area; even the land-route train to Mistral had been destroyed several days past and cut off easy travel to the kingdom. Their only path left was to continue on foot past the mountain.

The team stopped at the inn within a suitably well-defended town seeking a place to sleep for the night; fortunately they had enough lien between them for modest accommodations. Most were exhausted but Olivia could not sleep, with an excuse of getting fresh air she slipped out into hall. She soon found herself in a small restaurant neighboring the bar next door. She chose a small table toward the back, sighing deep in thought.

 **You should get some sleep boss.**

 _You'd like that wouldn't you?_

 **So little faith? And after I helped out with the Nikos girl, what have I done to earn such distrust?**

 _You know full well._ She did not want to have this conversation, but it seemed there was no avoiding it.

 **We BOTH saw what was in their heads, they deserved what was coming. It didn't earn you cramming me along with all your darker thoughts down deep for all those years!**

 _We don't know if they did! We shouldn't have been in their minds to begin with. Not everyone acts on the thoughts in their head._

 **It's naïve thoughts like that which prove you need me. I don't want to go back, I won't.**

 _Then stop trying to make me think like that, I don't want to…_

 **Everyone thinks like that a little bit, by pushing me away you made me ONLY able to think like that. You got all the sunshine and rainbows while I got the cobwebs and bile.**

"I don't care," Olivia was so frustrated she actually spoke despite not needing to. "I just want things the way they were!"

"We all do."

Olivia turned, completely unaware that Ren had followed and approached her while she was distracted.

"May I join you?" She nodded slowly, wondering how long he'd been standing there.

"Where are the others?"

"Resting in the room," he folded his hands on the table between them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm…fine…"

 **All sunshine and rainbows here.**

"The others are worried and so am I," Ren admitted. "You've seemed so conflicted and distant since Beacon. And despite what you may have told us, hair doesn't change color that fast even from stress."

 **Busteeeeeed…**

"I…have some stuff I have to work through, okay?"

Ren was silent, clearly trying to discern what was wrong on his own despite no hope of doing so.

"I respect your privacy," he started at length. "But for the moment we are traveling together, relying on each other. If you are having difficulties, please, let us help you. If not it will only serve to draw in the Grimm more when we are back on the open road."

 **I am quite good at that apparently. You already told JNPR everything about you at Patch…except me of course.**

"I trust you not to use your power on me," Ren insisted. "If you are scared of it occurring by accident…"

"It's not that," Olivia finally replied. "It's about her."

"Her who?"

Olivia gripped her hands together tighter. Ren was right; at the rate things were progressing they wouldn't make it to Haven before things got worse…a lot worse.

"Her name is Hildie…and it is a long story."

 _ **Patch…**_

 _"Okay, that's it," Ya_ ng instructed Roland. "Hold them gently just like that…"

"Yang, are you sure I'm doing this right?"

"Don't worry," she grinned mischievously. "They are easy to handle if you know how, just be careful and give them a good smack."

Roland complied, successfully cracking the shell and allowing him to break open the last of the eggs for breakfast. With Tai still out he had volunteered to cook despite a supreme lack of knowledge. Fortunately for him Yang was present and it seemed when she focused on a task all uncertainty and lethargy just fell away. He was acting as clueless as she seemed to improve with each passing moment.

They were both wearing matching white aprons over their standard clothes. Roland had been on the lookout for any sudden noises and had succeeded in preventing any further attacks. He had become surprisingly good at spotting trouble, even once catching a falling measuring cup with a foot before it hit the ground.

 _If I keep this up, she'll be better in no time,_ he hoped despite any real evidence as to whether that was how it worked.

"You are really good at this," he complimented as he took the whisk; a cooking utensil he was certain was a practical joke when Yang handed it to him, and mixed the yokes. "My mom refused to let ANYONE near the kitchen, it was her domain."

"I kind of had to be, have you tasted my dad's noodles? It was either learn or starve."

"Well…they were a tad overcooked, why didn't…"

Roland had to bite his tongue having nearly asked why her mother didn't cook for them. He didn't need Yang to say anything; she'd told him back at Beacon that she and Ruby were only half-sisters. He'd met Yang's mother and Tai's first wife back in Forever Fall, she had trusted him with that knowledge yet she never spoke about Ruby's mother.

"…why didn't Ruby learn?" He swiftly recovered.

Yang's lips spread serenely; it almost looked like the smile of a mother towards a silly daughter yet filled with pride all the same. Did Yang move to fill both her role as big sister and honorary mom after whatever happened with Ruby's?

"As if anyone could get her to make ANYTHING except cookies, as soon as she discovered them it ruined her for all other food. You should have seen the troubles she had, we…"

A knocking sound followed by the front door flying open in the next room over alerted them to company though it didn't take long to discover who.

"I'm home!" Tai called out to the empty living room, drawing Pyrrha from outside and the two in the kitchen. Roland could not help but notice Tai's suspicious glances at noticing he and Yang in matching aprons. "I've got packages for you two."

"What?" Pyrrha asked as she made her way down, confused upon realizing he was referring to her and Yang.

"Special delivery from the mainland, apparently a village owed some huntsmen a favor and made sure it arrived as quickly as possible." He handed a moderately sized square box to the young Spartan who lowered it to peruse the contents as he turned to Yang. "I can't WAIT for you to try this!" With a glowing smile of pride, Tai shifted the boxes in his hand, pulling out a long thin package. As Yang approached, he laid it on the coffee table and took a step back.

"For me?"

"For you, and you only," he smiled back.

Yang breathed deep, she had an idea of what lay within based on the size and shape but she had to know for certain. With slow hands she gripped the lid and lifted it away to reveal the contents. Within the case was a shiny white and silver metallic arm. It reminded Roland of the Atlas Knights they had fought against and alongside at Beacon. It was pristine, if Olivia were present no doubt she'd be gushing at the craftsmanship and intricacy required in its making.

"Brand new state of the art Atlas tech," Tai announced proudly. "I thought I was going to have to call in more than a few favors, but you earned this one all on your own kiddo."

"How?" Roland asked, risking a step forward for a better look.

"Before I could even talk to him, General Ironwood already had one of his top scientists working on this…for you! He wanted me to tell you that you fought admirably, you all did, and you should be proud of yourselves."

 _I could kiss that man!_ Roland screamed in his head, his calm betraying the elation in his chest. _With this arm as an option…she might say yes! It would only take a few adjustments to fit my own arm._

"It's…great," Yang answered. Despite her words she had no enthusiasm as she took the package and heading up the stairs. "Thanks dad, really." With that final word she disappeared upstairs.

Tai sighed, Roland unintentionally performing the same gesture, mirroring him eerily close due to their similar attires. The two men glanced towards each other, both equally uncertain how to proceed. Their hopes had collectively soared with the arrival of the arm, the fact that it hadn't elicited a similar rise out of Yang was disconcerting. They were so worried that they didn't notice Pyrrha opening her package to reveal a familiar set of pear white diamond-shaped armor and shoulder guards with a note inside.

"You gave me a piece of yourself and I've made good use of it. I hope you are able to do the same with a piece of me," signed Jaune.

"Oh Jaune," Pyrrha hugged the armor close, her mind racing with the possibilities of what she could do with the sturdy breastplate in her arms.

 **Atlas…**

Weiss wandered the halls of her manor once more; there was more than enough room for it until the attendees arrived in a few days. Music sheet in hand, she was memorizing the lyrics. Her father was locked in his study as he often was, meeting with business partners and even rivals. He was calling in every favor and seeking any advantage he could to make a profit despite the embargo enforced by General Ironwood.

Most uncomfortable of all, at her father's behest she had straightened her ponytail so it was lined up and centered properly. It felt off to her, like having only one shoe on when walking.

 _I need this to be perfect, the more publicity we bring to what happened at Beacon, the better._

"Salutations friend Schnee!"

Sure enough, the young heiress spotted the bubbly attaché to General Ironwood rounding a corner. She was surprised to see her about the mansion after her father's previous voiced distaste for what she was.

"You can call me Weiss, Penny," she smiled back, ever happy to see another friendly familiar face.

"That is good; your brother insists on calling me 'it' and demands I not approach him for conversations friendly or otherwise. I am not fond of him."

Weiss felt the sudden need to smack her little brother. "What are you doing here?"

"The general and Mr. Schnee are having another heated discussion on the status of trade and kingdom defense. I have been dismissed for the evening, your butler Klein thought you could use some company while my duties are temporarily suspended. What activities are you currently performing?"

 _He's always looking out for me._

"Just practicing for the concert," Weiss normally couldn't stand the overly official and complicated words of Penny's vocabulary. Yet now she couldn't care less how the former student spoke, it didn't seem to matter anymore. "Most people grossly underestimate the work and preparation required for performing."

 _Father being one of them._

 _"_ The general made certain to free up time to attend, I have never witnessed a musical gathering." Penny was clearly restraining from hopping up and down like a little girl. She had been on duty during the festival and only infrequently got to spend time with Cameron. "If only Ruby could attend this would be perfect!"

Weiss' previous smirk died at the mention of her team leader's name. She hadn't seen her since being forced to leave Patch; she had still been unconscious from the battle. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye…

"You're right, it would be."

"Based on their deliberations, the general will be in meeting for quite some time. If it is agreeable, perhaps I could be your test audience."

Penny's smile was ever genuine and inescapable. Not even the aptly named ice queen could resist nodding as the two started to walk together, her melodious voice echoing throughout the empty halls of Schnee Manor.

 **Menagerie Landing…**

The ships horn sounded loudly that they had made landfall, the ring of the afternoon bell in the middle of the nearby square going off almost in tandem. The humidity hit the trio as they walked down the plank towards the throng of faunus standing about the dock. Wherever they looked there were more people walking around going about their daily routine.

There were merchants, performers, dealers and more than a few shady looking individuals keeping to the shadows of the buildings. In the immediate area, dozens of people from just as many walks of life were gathered and beyond there were even more.

"Wow, sure is pretty crowded," Sun remarked as they squeezed through the crowds.

"Sure is," Blake answered flatly.

"I never really noticed before now," Esmerelda admitted, realizing only once off the boat is was the first time walking the streets without a form-obscuring hoodie.

The island of Menagerie was the home 'gifted' to the faunus after the Great War eighty years earlier. It seemed a kind gesture at first until the details started to emerge. The island was two-thirds desert and that portion was crawling with some of the most dangerous Grimm known worldwide. As a result, the entire faunus population was forced to find space on the remaining third. It had become obvious the island had been given to quiet the faunus, hoping they'd take it and be content…such uncaring nature had led to the early days of the White Fang.

"How could you not notice?"

"After my mom and dad were lost at sea, my family was VERY worried about how safe I was as the only human on the island." Esmerelda shuffled with her top uncomfortably at the direction the conversation had taken. "She refused to allow me outside unless I was covered to hide that I wasn't a faunus. The only time I ever got to be outside I was mostly alone, except…"

 **Years ago….**

A little girl with strands of red hair emerging from her hood shuffled past the buildings, unlike most that were walking out in the open, she was sticking to the shadows. She wore a dull grey hoodie two sizes too big for her as she had been told, hiding all features of her body while retreating to her sanctuary. She was seldom allowed out, however when her nana was off with friends of her ma and da she could sneak away from their house. As long as she was back before sundown she would be none the wiser…she never was. Finding the loose plate on the side of a condemned building, the girl slid it aside just enough to slip in, closing it behind her.

As soon as she was alone in the dark of the structure she cast off her hot overbearing hoodie, allowing the air to hit her. Despite the still-warm humidity of her hideaway, she could not have felt more open as she ran across the deserted structure.

"Your general has returned!" She proclaimed to a lineup of soldiers made of sticks, rocks and anything else she could find. She had created several short rows standing as best they could at attention. "Status report!"

The assorted soldiers did not reply.

"Excellent! Then our fortress is secured," she sneered with in triumph. This was the only time she got to really let loose. Even at home she was not allowed to make noises that might draw attention. In this place though she was completely…

"I think your troops have been lax in their job."

The girl spun fast, only now catching the silhouette of another child. Based on his size he must have been about her age, she scrambled to find her hoodie but it was far on the opposite side of the building. He had seen her.

"I didn't mean to scare you," the boy hopped down and she got a better look at him. He had messy brown hair and was dressed in a ragged black shirt with matching shorts. She spotted the small nubs of wings growing out of his back. To her horror he was looking her over.

"Get out!" She shouted. "This is my spot!"

"I didn't see your name on it; in fact I've never seen you before. Are you new to the island?" He asked as his eyes roamed. She knew what he was looking for and he wouldn't find it.

"I-I've lived here my whole life, please leave…"

"What are you? No fur, wings, ears, horns, claws; can you change your skin?"

"Please, I just want to play."

The boy's eyes widened in excitement as the truth passed through his mind. He spoke his thoughts without hesitation, "I've heard about your kind, are you a human?!"

That was all it took, tears welled in her eyes and she squatted down, covering her face with her hands as she started to sob. She had been found out, the one thing they didn't want and she had just given it away. If he went out to tell others it'd be all over the island in no time.

"Hey, hey," the boy inched closer. "Why are you crying?"

"I-I…" she couldn't finish her sentence.

"My dad always said that humans were supposed to be scary, but you aren't scary at all. If it means that much to you," he muttered under his breath. "I can keep it a secret, I'm SUPER good at those!"

The girl looked up into his eyes, sniffling back the tears trying to tell if he was being serious. From what she could tell of the big awkward grin on his lips he seemed to be sincere.

"P-promise?"

"Of course, I'd never lie to a pretty girl, but only if you tell me your name."

"Esmerelda…Esmerelda Mustra."

"It's nice to meet you Esmerelda," the six-year old held out a dirt-covered hand. "My name is Yuma."

 **Present Day…**

"Not a faunus eh?"

A shoulder checked Esmerelda harder than the others passing by and shook her from her memories, clearly intentional as she stumbled into others near her. Sun and Blake helped her back up, turning to the one responsible.

An especially tall young man flanked by three others had made an opening in the crowd as other civilians moved to avoid them. He had a round pair of ears clearly the trait of a bear though he seemed to have enough body hair to match as well. Those around him had varying traits form a short woman with a red fox tail, and a pair of tall sleek men with green panther eyes and sharp talons respectively.

 _Barely off the boat…_

"Ya know," the lead bear-faunus started. "I thought you looked rather cute, but after what you said and now that I look real close…you aren't a faunus at all. What a waste."

Esmerelda reigned in her anger; it would not do to start a scene.

"I am just here visiting family, may I pass?"

"There is no family for you here. How about you turn right around and get back on the boat?" He asserted, puffing out his chest to the snickering of his posse.

"What is wrong with you?" Sun stood up beside her, Blake flanking the other side. "We were literally just walking!"

"Walking with a human," he spat, clearly having been looking for a fight about something all day. "They gave us this land, the least they can do is stay off it." Esmerelda tried to just walk by, however the four would always step into her path clearly unwilling to let it go.

 _I can't believe I was so careless! I was supposed to stay under the radar and I open my big mouth in such a crowd. If things come to blows I'll never get a chance to…_

"It's either the boat or going through us," he growled, cracking his neck for emphasis. Sun and Blake lined up next to Esmerelda ready to back her up at a moment's notice. "What's it going to…?"

The fox-faunus backup he had went sailing over his head, slamming into a nearby fruit stand with a resounding crash. The bear turned around.

A tall elderly woman with white hair in a matching robe bent her back, avoiding a slash by the remaining clawed thug expertly dodging his haphazard swings with minimal movement and cracking him at each opening he left her with a sturdy oak cane. The green-eyed panther attempted to aid his comrade, advancing on the woman from behind with hands extended.

What had been mistaken for a white robe unfolded, revealing a large pair of swan wings that body slammed him in the chest, he went flying backwards into a brick wall, slumping to the ground and did not get back up. The green-eyed assailant finally succumbed to the merciless blows and fled into the crowds

The lead thug roared, rushing the stranger who had interrupted his planned fun for the day. Despite looking in the complete opposite direction, the old woman sidestepped him, hooking her cane around an ankle as he raced past her previous position. The large bear went tumbling over onto his face to immediately feel a slap of the cane on his face, threatening a renewed beating.

"You can go ahead and return home Poh." She started with a throaty yet commanding voice. "Your mother is worried sick and I feel you've done that enough to the poor woman for the week."

"Ms. Musta?" He groaned upon finally recognizing the attacker. "How can you defend a human?"

The old swan-faunus slapped him in the face with her cane again, leaving a painful welt.

"I'm not defending a human you walking stereotype! I'm protecting my granddaughter!"

"Your grand…?" The young man looked between her and Esmerelda in shock and fear. Without another word he scrambled to his friends, picking up who he could and kicking the others awake before they disappeared into the spectators.

The woman wiped off her dress despite the apparent lack of dirt, folding the large wings back around her body as if for warmth. Sun and Blake just stared dumbfounded at the newcomer who had taken out four ruffians without any effort. Esmerelda stepped forward with a sigh so she was directly in front of her. Blake couldn't be completely certain, but it seemed like she was standing a little straighter, her face flattening to be as polite and emotionless as possible. It was only then they realized they both had matching deep-blue eyes.

"Hello Esmerelda," she greeted. "It has been too long; you seem to be doing well. Have you been eating properly? Not five minutes after landing and you already find yourself hip deep in trouble. I hope you now understand the precautions I took in your youth."

"It has, I have and I do," she admitted. "It is…agreeable to see you again nana."

Sun and Blake immediately looked to each other and back to them before simultaneously asking the same question on their minds.

"NANA?"

 **Village Inn…**

Ren just sat there, eyes ever calm yet the hint of confusion at the story Olivia had finally confided in him. A second personality, one made of all the negative emotions she had pushed away along with much of her semblance for years having risen to the surface since utilizing her power at Beacon. And worse yet it seemed she couldn't be pushed away so easily a second time.

"I…don't know what to say," he finally answered. "She is tied to your semblance?"

"She seems to be," Olivia nodded. "I just…don't want her to come out at a bad time, I have no idea how she'd act."

"I feel this is a much more deep-routed issue related to your semblance and emotions overall, perhaps with additional practice…"

"No," Olivia asserted. "I used it once and this happened," she motioned to her hair now half platinum silver and blonde. "If I use it again, she'll have full reign, I know it."

"All humans have positive and negative emotions; if we didn't the Grimm wouldn't be a problem. You need to confront this Hildie once we have some time, perhaps after we reach Haven. My semblance allows me to suppress emotions, perhaps if I can mute her for the rest of our trip we can…"

Olivia's hand lashed out, gripping Ren's wrist and bending it painfully even through his aura. Her eyes had gone black as pitch with a dim red within and a truly terrifying scowl had formed on her lips.

"You try and lock me away again, and not even your little Valkyrie friend will find where I bury your bones!"

Olivia blinked at Ren's look of terror, her eyes reverting back to their normal rose-pink color as she seized her hand and yanked it back.

"I am so sorry," Olivia stood up with tears in her eyes to step away from Ren. "She can hear everything I say or think. For your own safety I…I can't have you do that."

"Olivia…"

"I'll be outside; I can find somewhere to rest for the night." Without allowing him to retort, she rushed out the doors into the night air too terrified to sleep near her friends. The young huntsman in training could only watch, utterly baffled on how he might help his fellow traveler and friend.

 **Tavern Bar….**

Qrow sighed from the table in the bar, thankful that none of Ruby's team would ever have a reason to step inside. He'd be able to watch them and get something drink at the same time. That is…if he'd had any money. Ruby's uncle had been tailing them since Patch, making sure they were protected from the hordes of Grimm roaming the countryside. It had been grueling as it seemed everything within miles had been drawn towards their traveling band. If he hadn't been working non-stop they would have been swarmed on a daily basis.

 _What could be attracting so many?_ He contemplated; it was as if the negative emotions of an entire crowd were drawing them in. Even as they spoke, Grimm attacks on the village defenses were up by a small margin.

The older huntsman sighed as he kept an eye on the kids that he could from his seat. His thoughts were interrupted as the waitress placed a drink in front of him, one he hadn't ordered. He quickly turned to explain her mistake.

"Oh, I didn't…"

"From the woman upstairs, red eyes, said you wouldn't mind the bottom self," the admittedly attractive waitress motioned towards the bar's second level which had been unoccupied when he'd entered.

 _She's here…of course she is, probably wants to rub it in a bit._

"Thanks," he muttered, dreading the conversation he knew was coming.

"But…I went ahead and gave you top. Lucky you." The waitress leaned forward with a whisper, throwing a flirtatious wink and smile his way before continuing on her rounds.

 _Lucky me,_ Qrow risked a mischievous grin to slip through. _I may be twenty years too old and forced to be a respectable role model…but I still got it._

With a renewed outlook, he picked up his drink, taking a deep sip as he slipped up the creaky wooden steps. The second floor was small, only able to hold about a half dozen tables. Each of which was unoccupied…until he got a look in the back. A dark-haired woman in red and black armor sat in a seat, a second empty one across from her. She had lit the small table lamp, the light throwing an eerie shadow across her features and the pale-white Grimm mask she had propped on the table.

 _Who knew she could get even more ominous?_

"Hello brother," she greeted as he came into view, her smile of smug superiority never wavering. How much he despised that smile.

"Raven," he nodded before slowly approaching, pulling out the empty chair. He just stood there, eye darting between her and the mask she had pushed too far to his side of the table. After several seconds she acquiesced and pulled it closer, prompting him to take a seat. "So what do you want?"

"A girl can't just catch up with her family?" She asked, throwing her hands up innocently.

"She can, but you're not," he replied bluntly. "How about we get on with it? Unless you plan to keep these coming." He took another sip of his drink for emphasis.

"Does she have it?"

Qrow leaned back, knowing full well to what she was referring. Despite that, he didn't feel like answering her just yet.

"Did you know Yang lost her arm?"

Raven clenched her fists at his words, "That's not…"

"Rhetorical question, I know you know," Qrow interrupted. "It's just a little obnoxious that you bring up family then carry on like your own daughter doesn't exist. That a boy she met less than a year ago has been caring for her when she needs it more than her own mother."

"I SAVED her," Raven stressed. "Her AND that little brat you think so highly of!"

"Once, cause that is your rule right? I'm surprised your confusing code extended to him but that doesn't make you 'mom of the year' sis."

Qrow reached down to take another sip only for Raven to seize his wrist, staring daggers into her brother.

"I told you Beacon would fall," she whispered. "And it did. I told you Ozpin would fail and he has. Now you tell me, does…Salem…have it?"

"And here I thought you weren't interested in any of that…just like Maggie." Raven's eyes widened at his mention of the name, with an annoyed expression she released his wrist and leaned back. "You should come back Raven, the only way we beat her is by working together…all of us."

"You're the one who left, after the tribe raised us and you turned your back on them."

"They were killers and thieves, how many villages did we destroy? Hell we probably killed as many innocents as the Grimm, I'm surprised you got her to help."

"Her?" Raven raised an eyebrow as if she had no idea what he was talking about.

"I saw what you did to the people of Shion."

Qrow recalled his trailing behind Ruby and her team, taking a moment to stop at an unmarked grave they made time to dig. He even gave up some of his flask for the unfortunate huntsman buried beneath.

"The weak die, the strong live. Those are the rules." The tribe-leader asserted.

"I saw the damage," he stared her down. "I know full well that wasn't you or anyone from our 'family' either."

Raven had reached the limit of her patience, she knew her brother well enough. He was diverting attention from one important fact.

"If you don't know where the relic is…" Raven stood to her feet to leave.

"Maggie's son was a casualty at Beacon, did you know that?"

Raven froze, the slightest hint of surprise crossing her eyes, though not enough of a shock as it should have been.

"So you DID know she had a kid? I imagine that was quite the revelation, our little tribe-sister marrying a filthy huntsman? I was surprised as hell when Oz brought me to him. It would have been nice to know that a few years ago. I'm fairly certain she never took to your skewed family code. If you know where she is, I think you should tell her what your rules cost her."

"I haven't seen her since she left, another ungrateful child like you."

Qrow narrowed his eyes, as if he trusted Raven in regards to something like this.

"We NEED the Spring Maiden; if you know where she is…you need to tell me."

"And why would I do that?" Raven scooped up her helmet from the table.

"Because without her, we are ALL going to die." Qrow stared into her eyes with absolute certainty.

"I look out for family…my family," Raven asserted and donned her helmet before turning as a red schism in the air appeared behind her. "If you want that to include you, you know what to do." Without a look back she walked through as it closed behind her.

 _That shortsighted…! How we can be related is beyond…_

A sound of shattering glass and loud gasp caused him to turn, realizing that the flirty waitress from before had witnessed his sister's disappearing trick. She was shaking from head to toe with a terrified expression locked on her face.

 _Might as well diffuse the situation a little,_ Qrow sighed as he held up drink barely touched.

"Better make this a double."

 **Pasts and secrets come to the forefront, shedding light on the circumstances leading to our heroes and their current outlooks. As always, I hope everyone Reads and Reviews…but most of all Enjoys! :D**


	6. Cages of Different Sorts

**Lelouch of Zero: I thought the same thing, outside of the first season it seemed like Penny was a Ruby-exclusive friend lol. Such is the effect of Team HERO, whether it is for better or worse...they create new possibilities. :D**

 **ahsoei: Only in the way that they are separate personalities in one body. Venom was an external force sharing Eddie's body. Hildie is a part of Olivia that festered due to being suppressed in her mind for so many years. It was like Ozpin told Horatio back in Chapter 1...over or under use of one's semblance can have adverse consequences.**

Roland opened his door a crack, making sure the hallways were clear. He was certain he'd heard Tai pass by downstairs a few minutes prior, he wouldn't get another chance. With silent footsteps, now know each creaky beam and section of the floor to avoid he made his way towards yang's room. He couldn't wait till morning.

 _She's been locked in her room all day since getting the arm._ He sighed, having had no chance to talk with her. _She clearly is hesitant to take it up, maybe now she…_

The shield-bearer of Team HERO looked in surprise, the gleam from under the door revealing that Yang's lights were on. What she still awake?

"Yang," he whispered as loudly as he dared. The lights were on downstairs as well; whatever her father was doing he hoped it would keep him busy. Were he to be discovered now, certain death was sure to follow. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, come in."

 _Must be the nightmares still,_ Roland breathed deep as he opened the door. _Just put it out there, she'll be against it I imagine, but with the arm as an option I can convince…_

Roland locked eyes on Yang sitting in front of a mirror; she was so focused on something she wasn't even looking at him when he opened the door. She was still dressed in the orange top and baggy pants she had adopted during her stay. A smile graced his lips as he spotted a flash of silver and lilac at her neck, the gift he had given her in Vale. She was fully concentrating on adjusting the silver metal arm now connected to the stump of where her previous had resided.

 _She…put it on already…_

"Good timing," Yang remarked with a calm grunt of frustration. "Unlike the Ice Queen I am not left handed. Can you give me a hand tightening this bolt?"

Roland just stood at the entrance for several seconds taking in the scene before him. She looked uncertain of course, but she seemed better. He had expected her to be hesitating putting on the arm as it would be tantamount to accepting it as a piece of her and what she had was not coming back. He had to shake himself back to the present.

"S-sure," he replied at length, approaching Yang as she handed him a strange tool that looked like a screwdriver and wrench merged into one. "Does it hurt?"

"Stung like a Rapier Wasp at first," she admitted while pointing out where she needed tightened. "Now it just feels," she paused to select her words, "different."

"Well you know what they say, the first time is the hardest," Roland remarked without thinking. With how laid back she was acting over it he had reverted to his default setting. Quickly he scrambled to think of how to apologize but Yang beat him to it.

"Eh, I might have trouble with the first two or three arms, after that I'm sure I'll be an expert."

 _She's…okay with it?_

"Yang, I…"

He didn't get a chance to finish, as his hand twisted the bolt into place, her remaining hand reached up to cup his own. She didn't look at him, maintaining her gaze into the mirror. Regardless, the fringes of a genuine smile formed on her lips for a moment before devolving into the goofy grin he had missed so much.

"I'm not supposed to use it for anything stressful until the nerves acclimate," she explained. "Though I think the transition will be much butter with you here."

 _I'm such a moron,_ Roland berated himself. _I almost made the same mistake again. How can I keep forgetting how…amazing she is? I could have ruined everything, she…she was always strong enough. I was the one who needed help._ He thought back to all the times he tried to take the pain from others; Casey, Olivia, even Yang in small amounts to hide the drawback of his semblance. He wanted to help his friends so much. _But hurting myself like that would only hurt them just as much, trading one pain for another. As much as I wanted to help you Yang…you were doing the same for me._

"Well you know me," he finally continued. "If you ever need a hand…you know I'll be here."

Yang turned towards him, causing the young man to kneel so they were at equal level.

"That was the worst one you've ever come up with," she teased.

"I guess I still have a thing or two to learn."

Her eyes shimmered in the light of the room; the two just couldn't look away as they steadily drifted closer to one another. He risked a hand placed on her shoulder. A loud crash downstairs shook them from their mutual trance, snapping attention towards the door so they could hear better.

"Like what you see?" They heard a voice that wasn't Tai's before a raucous chorus of laughter soon followed. The two teenagers looked at each other with identically confused expressions as they recognized the voice without a doubt.

 _Professor Port?_

 **Downstairs…**

With growing worry at what awaited them, Roland and Yang made their way downstairs. Sure enough, the light in the kitchen was on and was the source of the noise. Their former teachers Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck were sitting around the kitchen table with her father Tai leaning against a counter. The portly teacher was laying on his back looking up at the ceiling as if he'd just recently fallen over as the other two and even he himself laughed at his own expense. Even Yang could not stifle a little snicker at the ridiculous-looking situation.

"Oh…Ms. Xiao Long!" Professor Port called out at noticing their presence and leaping to his feet. "Mr. Mane! Please join us!" Doctor Oobleck had similarly stood to his feet, tucking in his shirt and standing straight as if to recover a modicum of his former professional status.

"Yes, yes," Oobleck agreed as he nodded his head vigorously while tightening the grip around his cup. Based on the two were acting Roland was relatively certain it wasn't coffee in there this time. "Pull up a chair, please pull up a chair!"

"Thank you," Roland complied with his request while Yang hopped up on the nearby counter. She was a bit too forceful with her new robotic arm, cracking the marble surface.

"Oops, sorry."

"Don't be!" Tai rushed for a pan to brush away the remains. "The general mentioned it would take time before you get used to it."

"And I am sure that will take no time at all!" Port called out in his usual overly-boisterous tone. "You were one of the finest students of your year! With Beacon's collapse many transferred to other schools, I know of CFVY and CRDL at least relocating to Shade Academy…I did not enjoy writing those letters of recommendation as much as they were well-earned. Speaking of our best students how has been Ms. Nikos' recovery?"

"…Slow," Tai admitted at length. "How did her folks take the news?"

"They," Oobleck paused as he recalled their previous visit before Patch. They had informed Mr. and Mrs. Nikos of their daughter's survival. They were overjoyed until the mention of the fear that the ones responsible for the fall may come after her again and her location must remain a secret. They understood yet had shed many tears. "Took it better than expected."

Tai nodded, Pyrrha was currently conked out in her room upstairs and considering how long she'd been working on her project in the shed it was highly unlikely even their ruckus could wake her.

"It is so good to see you again Professor," Roland leaned over to share a quick hug between the two. "What are you two doing here?"

"Relaxing with an old friend," Oobleck answered for him. "We tried to get Ms. Goodwitch and Ms. Peach to come as well but they were…preoccupied with restoring Vale. Your father sends his regards."

"Dad was there?"

"Indeed, his firm has been helping raise the necessary funds for much of the repairs. He voiced his desire to come; alas he could not get away. He and your mother send their best to you, Ms. Xiao Long and your team."

"Come on now, we can worry about that stuff in the morning," Tai worked to change the subject back to the discussion prior to the teens joining them. "So there we were in the auditorium, looking at Qrow wearing a skirt and Ozpin says 'it's time to start working on our landing strategies!"

The kitchen burst into laughter as each recalled their own chosen strategy from Yang's Ember Celica propulsion, Roland's shield surfing or even Oobleck's uncharacteristically simple idea of 'aim the weapon down, fire and hope for the best.'

"The Branwen twins have always been…interesting to say the least," Oobleck finally remarked as the laughter in his belly subsided.

"That sure didn't seem to stop young Tai," Port continued, raising his eyebrows suggestively towards the grizzled huntsman near the counter. He did not seem to appreciate the implication involving the woman he had tried to steer clear of discussing.

"Come on man," Tai's playful tone had disappeared as he motioned towards his daughter. "She's right here."

"Oh please, she is a mature young woman," Port waved him off, the contents of his drink loosening his tongue even more than it already was most days. If she can handle combat, she can handle a few jabs at her old man."

 _He doesn't get it,_ Tai sighed.

"That's not the issue Pete, besides she's still a teenager…"

"SHE is also in the room," Yang interrupted. "And can be directly spoken to. And "I" think we have been through enough to be considered adults at this point." She motioned between Roland and herself, the young man suddenly wished he had a glass nearby to absentmindedly sip as he felt very uncomfortable with the direction of the discussion.

Her father's face screamed subtly that he did not want to have the conversation, but between Yang's piercing eyes and the side glances of the other three attendees, there was no escape.

"Adult or not, you've still got a long way to go before you are ready for the real world."

"A long way to…" Yang flexed her new arm forward as if in proof against his statement. "How far do you want us to go? Off the map?"

"You've made amazing progress in so short a time, I am not belittling that. But there is way worse out there and you are NOT ready."

"We can be sir!" Roland jumped in this time as he saw the two glaring each other down, seemingly about to come to blows. "We can do it, we're…"

"Right," Tai turned his parental fury upon the young lad. "A shield-bearer with no shield…

"Half a shield!" Roland corrected, recalling the battered remains that he had stored in the shed yet not touched since arriving.

"Half a shield," Tai humored him. "A shield-bearer with half a shield and a huntress with one arm!"

"Two now!" Roland was getting heated; rising from his seat he advanced on Tai who did the same in turn until they were an inch apart. "We are improving every day…"

"SHE'S improving every day, Pyrrha too," Tai countered. "You've gotten flabby," he poked at Roland's stomach for emphasis. "Have you done any real training since arriving?"

"I've been busy!"

"I know you have!" His eyes betrayed his intensity; he knew full well what Roland had been busy helping with. "It doesn't matter if you let yourself go in the process."

"Well maybe I just need to get in some training!"

"And who would oversee your training? Zwei?"

"He's probably the most qualified, though If I could find a capable Huntsman I'd be back to form in no time!"

"H-hey," Yang had withdrawn towards the table at Roland's advance and started inching forward to be the voice of reason. Before she could move, a gentle hand fell on her shoulder.

"Best not Ms. Xiao Long," Oobleck whispered just low enough for her to hear. "This is an amazing occurrence to be witnessing firsthand. The first heated argument between a father and his daughter's boyfriend. Very rare to witness in the wild, we shouldn't startle them…they may charge."

Yang turned away, trying to hide the blush forming at his words.

"If I may add my opinion, you have been very brave," the green-haired doctor complimented her while the two continued arguing in the background. "I've known plenty who would not have bounced back as quickly as you…if at all."

"I'm…not brave, I just," Yang admitted with a pause as she glanced to Roland. "I just had a really good reason to not hesitate. I'm still scared by…all of this," she held up her new robotic arm, flexing the fingers as gently as she could out of fear of using too much strength again.

"Bravery is not the absence of fear," Professor Port explained. "But how to push past its presence. I admit, even I wrestle with that emotion rarely from time to time."

"He's afraid of mice," Oobleck quickly revealed.

"THEY BRING ONLY DISEASE AND FAMINE!"

"Well, maybe I'll just have to bust you into shape!" Tai yelled as the argument continued. "If I leave you be you're sure to find some way to muck it up!"

"Thank you!" Roland roared back despite no longer really arguing. "That would be much appreciated! I hope to not let you down!"

The two reached out, gripping the other's hands in a powerful shake while locking their eyes together. A silent agreement had been forged between them; Tai would train the young man and the others under his care while he would in turn protect one of the most important girls in his life on the day they would inevitably depart for the world at large.

"If you are determined," Tai at length returned his attention to his daughter. "You can do whatever you put your mind to…you are Yang Xiao Long, my Sunny Little Dragon."

"Dad!"

Roland did his best to hide the absolutely incorrigible smile that crossed his face at the reveal of Yang's childhood nickname.

 _His Sunny Dragon, my Sunflower…she's the Sunflower Dragon!_

 **Menagerie…**

"Drink up, it's good for you."

Esmerelda's grandmother had shuffled them through the crowds back to her home, a quaint house not far from the water's edge. Blake seemed to be in a rush to leave yet could not deny that after the display outside it would be best to lay low for a bit before heading back out. The older swan-faunus had presented a mug of thick white liquid in front of each of them. Sun and Esmerelda had taken hold of their own and started drinking as Blake eyed it suspiciously.

"What is…?"

"Coconut milk," Sun answered for her. He pulled away his cup to reveal a ridiculous white mustache and one of his patented disarming smiles.

"It's good," Esmerelda agreed. "I'm pretty sure it's all you ever served."

"I saved the good stuff for after you were off to bed. And since I have been remiss in my pleasantries, my name is Odette Mustra," she was referring to Sun specifically before returning her attention to Esmerelda. "Never thought I'd see Kali's little girl back here…or you. What brings you back home?"

Blake heard her parents talk of the Mustra family, that they had once been strong supporters of the White Fang yet fell out of the inner circles long before her time. She couldn't believe that a family acquaintance had kept such a secret from them. The lengths she must have gone to over the ten years Esmerelda lived on the island to keep her hidden must have been extreme.

"I…I wanted to make sure you were okay," Esmerelda seemed to stumble somewhat with the cold professional nature of Odette's personal question. "With everything happening since Beacon…"

"Oh now you know that doesn't affect us here," she pushed her granddaughter's concerns away. "With the CCT Towers down we barely heard about that until recently, the Grimm on the rest of the island have been stirring but no more than usual. Not that reception was very good here even when they worked. You didn't have to come all the way out here."

"But nana..."

"What have you been up to anyway since Beacon?" She interrupted quickly before Esmerelda could continue.

"I've...been helping out with the Grimm outbreak, fighting where I need to."

"Someone has a student fighting out there where armies and professionals should be? Whoever you fight alongside must be on hard times."

Esmerelda did not know how to reply.

"Odd family reunion," Sun whispered to Blake who simply nodded. It felt more like a business meeting.

Odette sighed at Esmerelda's silence, inhaling deep as if what she planned to say would be far harder. "It is nice to meet Esmerelda's friends, I don't think I've seen you since you were a little kitten," she half teased Blake much to her embarrassment. "Equal parts your mother and father no doubt. And…"

She looked over Sun, raising an eyebrow at his open shirt and laid back attitude.

"Sun Wukong…ma'am," he quickly added towards the end. "I've never been here."

"Clearly," she joked with a final glance at his abs and an accompanying chuckle. "If you two accompanied her here just to check on my old wings I'm afraid it will be a boring stay."

"We came separately," Blake finally spoke. "I…I just wanted to come home."

"I just sort of tagged along with them," Sun admitted, laying down his mug, only then noticing the pitcher was empty as he reached for a refill.

"Oh, I can…"

"I can get that," Esmerelda interrupted, snatching the jug from the center of the table. "Everything is in the same place right?"

"My routines have been unchanged since before I had your father!" She called out as the lancer of Team HERO disappeared into the next room over. "And they will persist long after your kids have developed their own!"

With Esmerelda gone, there was an awkward silence between the remaining three in the room. With empty glasses they could only twiddle their thumbs as they contemplated what to say.

"So…are you really Ezzy's grandmother?" Sun just blurted out as the question had been eating at his mind. Blake's jaw dropped open at the incredibly blunt question.

"Ezzy? What is it with kids these days shortening everything? You really do say whatever pops into your head don't you?" She remarked with a raised eyebrow before a childish grin crossed her wrinkled lips. "I like that. If you mean blood relation and the traditional sense of the word, yes I am very much her grandmother."

"But…if you're a faunus and she is a human…"

"Not just me, Esmerelda's parents, my son and daughter-in law, were faunus as well. He had the proudest set of wings you'd ever seen."

"Isn't that imposs…"

"My own beloved husband on the other hand…was as human as they come."

The room fell silent; the distant sound of clattering dishes from the next room the only sound in the house. Odette recalled the days back when she had met him, he'd been so charming each time he brought his ship into port to provide supplies and take on or let off passengers. It had been not even two decades after Menagerie was granted to the faunus and finding anyone willing to trade was tricky in those days. Yet he hadn't cared. Alas he had passed away of natural causes shortly after Esmerelda had been born.

 _At least he got to see his granddaughter._

Blake didn't know what to think, her ears shirking down. She had been a faunus living among humans ever since fleeing from Adam and the White Fang, yet Esmerelda had been a human living among the faunus. The similarity between their mutual deception for fear of the reactions of others was…unsettling.

"It's never been reported before," she clarified. "We were worried of course when I had her father, but that it could skip a generation is unheard of even in a mixed marriage. I was told the odds of what occurred were beyond astronomical from past experience. You've seen how faunus and human relations are out there, can you imagine looking at it through the other side of the window?"

"Wow," Sun continued. "That must have been rough."

"More for her than I," she admitted truthfully to her granddaughter's friends. "I cut ties with the White Fang after they voiced their…displeasure at my love-life choices. I only wish your parents had done the same since Sienna took over."

"Wait, what about my parents?" Blake's eyes widened at her remark made as a side note as if it were common knowledge.

"Well, your father may have stepped down, but a branch of the White Fang still remained on the island. He has regular reports with…"

"We have to get over there, NOW!" Blake stood up and rushed to the door.

"Hey, wait!" Sun scrambled after her without even waiting for Esmerelda who emerged from the kitchen, jug in hand at hearing the commotion.

"What did you say nana?" She knew what had been said, but wanted to hear it again.

"The Belladonnas have meetings with the White Fang Branch on the island. Reports of their protests worldwide, changes being implemented by the various kingdoms, even…"

Esmerelda stopped listening as she gathered her things to give chase after them; Odette huffed as her guests rushed out so quickly without a word muttering something about manners from the young.

 _Why?_ Esmerelda screamed internally. _Why did the General's Intel have to be right?_

 **Patch…**

Roland completed another push-up, sweat dripping from his brow as Tai walked past, eyeing the young man to ensure he wasn't cutting corners. A familiar corgi lounged lazily on his back adding to the difficulty, he was uncertain if it was part of Tai's training regimen or if the pup had simply grown bored and wanted to taunt him.

"Ten more then we move to sparring," Tai commanded as Roland followed his instructions with an exasperated yet dutiful groan.

They had been at it for days since Oobleck and Port's visit, laps, routines, sparring sessions all while Yang watched from the sidelines. Her arm was coming along and she was growing used to its strength every day. Until then, he would improve himself, fight, train and ensure the next time he faced Adam Taurus…he would not escape again.

 _Horatio would have been proud,_ he lamented sadly, remembering similar workout routines in the early mornings back at Beacon every morning. The memories created a surge of adrenaline allowing him to finish the pushups early.

"Keep the guard up but not too high," Tai instructed as he swung. Roland caught the attack but was pushed backwards, even pulling his punches Yang's father was incredibly strong which was only natural he supposed.

Roland was improving; he had to get back into shape beyond what he was before. No matter how long it took he was going to prove he had what it took to keep her safe. He could not help but chuckle in his head at what they would have to face that she herself could not handle and he would be there right at her side.

As he blocked a renewed punch, Tai stepped in, locking Roland's hand behind his head before flipping him clean over his shoulders to slam onto the ground. It did not take much effort to pin the defeated huntsman trainee.

"Bet you didn't see that coming."

"Are you kidding, back at Beacon Yang had me pinned at least three times a daaaaaaa," he tried to retort only for the older man to twist the arm more in retaliation, silencing him with a spike of pain.

A sudden explosion interrupted their verbal and physical spar. The door of the nearby shed blew open, releasing a cloud of dust and soot into the cool air. In the confusion, Roland was able to wiggle free. Pyrrha emerged from the plume of smoke coughing and waving her hands in an attempt to clear the air. The two men rushed over to ensure she was alright.

"Pyrrha! What was…?"

Tai's inquiry was cut short as the answer presented itself. In the young Spartan's hand was a longspear extending nine feet in height. The handle was a bright bronze coloration with spirals of white going up all the way to the blade, with a twist of her hands the length retracted to only about two feet in length. The head of the spear drew their attention as the tip seemed generally standard in a diamond-shape pattern made of red and bronze. Just beneath was a crescent moon made of a white-metal that had certainly once been from Jaune's armor. The double moon-shaped blade made in the likeness to the Arc-Emblem added twin prongs that almost made it akin to a trident and contained indentations on either side no doubt for dust crystal placement.

"Sorry," Pyrrha apologized upon realizing the mess she had made. She was covered in a thin layer of soot save for her eyes which had been protected by a pair of red goggles. The untouched circles around her lids were prominent as she removed them.

Behind her as the mist cleared, Roland spotted her armor which seemed to have additional plates and shoulder additions made of the same white-metal. Pyrrha pushed them out of sight before he could see more. Her shield Akoúo̱ was beside it, now wider than before with a surrounding layer of white though she kept the circular indentations to allow spear thrusts from cover. Lying alone beside the workbench he spotted the battered surviving half of his own bulwark.

 _I can't put it off any longer, I am sure Pyrrha won't mind assisting me with some repair and alterations._

"That's incredible Pyrrha!" Roland gushed at first sight of her new weapon. "I had no idea you were so skilled at weapon crafting!"

"I made all of mine, armor included," she confirmed.

"Did you…think of a good name for it?"

Pyrrha paused for a few moments before answering. "Vόnon If you wanted some help with yours…"

"Hey!"

Roland turned as he spotted Yang approaching from the house, his interest piquing higher than ever at realizing she had the left half of Ember Celica attached to her remaining wrist, the right half in hand.

"Think you're ready kiddo?" Tai asked at seeing the determination in her eyes.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she nodded. "But it doesn't work anymore, no nerves to set it off," she flexed her robotic arm. "I can't fire it."

"What did you plan to…?" Roland started, but was interrupted as Yang chucked the weapon through the air. He barely caught it in time as the slow realization of her intentions became clear.

"Well, I always did say you needed something to compliment your shield didn't I?" She teased with a wink. "Put it on, we don't have long for you to get used to it. Ember Celica has her own art to master and you will HAVE to learn fast."

 **Menagerie…**

Esmerelda was panting as she finally caught up with the faunus pair. They had raced all the way through the streets towards the center of Kuo Kuana to the largest house as far as the eye could see. It was the home of the Chieftain of Menagerie symbolizing they were the heart of the people.

And apparently that was Blake's house. Sun's eyes were wide in shock that the woman he had met at Beacon and danced with was the closest thing to a princess he knew. She had wasted no time at the mention of the White Fang in her former home. Pushing past the trepidation and hesitation at being back for the first time in years, she had already sounded the intimidating knocker, signaling their presence.

It wasn't long before the door swung open; a woman with dark hair and cat ears quite similar to Blake's answered the door. She couldn't be considered old, yet the hint of wrinkles betrayed the onset of age. She wore a white dress beneath black hakama pants and matching cloth shoulders with gold trim. It was obvious who she was as she peeked out, eyes widening as they fell on Blake.

"Blake…" She started before the huntress of Team RWBY rushed forward, embracing her mother, thankful that she was okay. "Oh, my baby girl," she whispered while reciprocating the warm hug.

Sun could not help but smile, it was such a heartwarming scene.

"Are you and dad okay?" She backed away, looking her over for any sign of injury or danger. "What are the White Fang doing here?"

"Blake, slow down," her mother, Kali, tried to get a grasp on the situation. "You're scaring…"

"Dear, who is it?" A deep booming voice from the next room called out. "Please excuse me a moment."

Esmerelda and Sun looked on as a tall imposing faunus rounded the corner from within. He had more muscles than Sun and wore an open purple robe showing off his chest with a single armored shoulder and a buckle so large it could have served as armor for his stomach. Based on the black hair and yellow eyes they assumed correctly his identity as Blake's father.

His stern expression softened as he also spotted Blake still wrapped in her mother's arms. A smile stretched across his face.

"Blake?" He asked as if his eyes betrayed him.

"Dad," she smiled back, the urgency of their hurry almost forgotten before returning to her. "Is it true you are meeting with the White Fang?"

"Well of course, I may have stepped down as High Leader, but I still like to help however I can, is there something wrong?"

"You haven't heard?" Sun couldn't hold back any longer, unable to believe that the news hadn't reached them yet.

"Heard…what?"

 **Inside…**

Ghira and Kali Belladonna entered their living room, the former High Leader of the White Fang held a tense expression from the information given him by his daughter and her friends who followed behind. That White Fang had been at the attack on Beacon, killing anyone they met while releasing a new breed of mutated Grimm inside the school. He was heading to verify with the guests he had been meeting with all morning.

Kali was talking with Esmerelda as they walked, having been confused at her assertion of the surname Mustra. She had spent much time with her grandmother and knew of Esmerelda's birth yet had been in the dark as much as the others as to her being a human. The reason for her friend's overly secretive protection and lack of visits suddenly made sense though she was still hurt that even they had not been trusted with the information.

A pair of faunus were seated near a long wooden table, documents were scattered across its surface that they had been discussing before the interruption. The two were wearing white robes and red hoods denoting their affiliation with the Menagerie branch of the White Fang who wore no masks unlike those in Vale. One had holes cut in his hood to allow fox ears to poke through while the other had a long and fluffy fox tail.

"Your Grace," the one with the ears stood and bowed at the additional company. "I did not know we would be having guests. "Ms. Belladonna, it is good to see you returned to Menagerie."

"They have told me disturbing news," Ghira crossed his arms over his chest. "That White Fang members were complicit in the attack on Beacon and other assaults in Vale. "Why…was I not informed?"

The two brothers known as Corsac and Fennec glanced to each other awkwardly before returning their gaze to the towering man.

"We…were getting to that your Grace, you see Adam Taurus…"

"My daughter and her friends already told me of his involvement. That is information I should have been made aware as soon as it was known. We have been discussing rallies in Atlas all morning…why did you not begin with this update?!"

Sun, Blake and Esmerelda eyed the two White Fang representatives suspiciously, leaning forward threateningly with her father's words.

"We," Fennec started. "Did not wish to burden your Grace with the information until we had a counter plan to deal with the splinter group that formed in Vale under Mr. Taurus. They no longer operate under High Leader Khan. Since you stepped down, such information seemed…unnecessary for you to know."

"Unnecessary?" Blake stepped forward angrily baring her teeth. "They KILLED people! Adam took off Yang's arm!"

"And he nearly killed my friend," Esmerelda joined Blake, her eyes focused in venting rage at the two faunus for Roland's scars.

"However," Corsac stepped in to play off his brother. "If you do wish to aid in bringing these…aggressive insurgents to justice we would be more than happy to share our strategies at the next meeting." The brothers eyed her up and down, clearly noticing her lack of faunus features but she didn't care. Esmerelda wasn't a little girl in hiding anymore and wouldn't back down.

"His…extreme actions are regrettable, yet that is NOT the way of High Leader Khan. Some violence is required for great change, but this is no way for our message to be heard. He has tarnished our ideals with his actions."

Ghira relaxed somewhat, disarmed by their words yet far from trusting the men after withholding such information.

"We are done for today," he sighed at last. "We can discuss Adam Taurus another day, for now…I would like to spend time with my wife and daughter.

"Of course your Grace," the two bowed politely before making their way to the door. "It is good to see you return to Menagerie Blake…and you as well Ms. Mustra."

Esmerelda's blood turned to ice at their words but they were already halfway down the hall before any words of comeback popped into her head and by then it was too late.

 _How…did they recognize me?_

"Well…those guys were creepy," Sun remarked to try and break the tension, earning confused glances from Esmerelda and Blake with a stern, uncertain stare from the imposing Chieftain of Menagerie.

"Well," Kali finally raised a voice. "Let's put this business aside for now. It is so good to have you home. I have some tea on the stove, when you are ready we can hear how you've been all these years…"

 **Outside…**

The two brothers walked away from the Belladonna residence in complete silence waiting until they were certain that they could no longer be heard.

"An interesting development, wouldn't you say?" Fennec asked.

"Interesting indeed."

"Shall we inform Brother Adam?"

"We shall, and I am sure Brother Yuma would be most keen to learn of the identity of her traveling companions."

 **Mistral Countryside…**

"I will take first watch," Ember volunteered. They had been traveling over a day without rest; even Tyrian despite his utter devotion to Salem could not march endlessly. Since passing the nearby village, the two had realized Ruby's party had stopped briefly. They had nearly followed inside before locating fresh tracks of the party leading away, removing any need for it and allowed them to continue the pursuit.

"Ever the night watchman," the jittery fighter remarked. Ember had chosen to stand watch most of the days they were forced to rest and disappeared until morning. "Do you not need as much sleep as us mere mortals?"

"Not as much," the armored knight muttered. "I will scout further out, rest easy."

Tyrian seemed to take his request to heart as he leaned back, placing his hands behind his head like a pillow. Ember knew better, his traveling companion could hear a twig snap half a mile off. He may appear to have let his guard down but he had mastered vigilance even while at rest.

Ember ventured away from their camp, since departing Shion village they had been steadily catching up to the unaware huntsman and huntresses. It was evident they were in no great rush while Salem's hunters pushed themselves. The only reason Tyrian had even agreed to one final rest was due to how quickly they would overtake them at the current pace and it would be best to face them refreshed.

 _I thought I'd never get another chance._

Once appropriately far from the campsite, Ember ducked behind a tree, removing his helmet so his voice did not reverberate. Very gently, he reached into a pouch, producing one of the items Cinder had provided him during their final embrace at the keep. It was a small orb that fit in the palm of his hand. It appeared to be made of glass, but he knew better. It was the same that adorned the top of the Seer Grimm which Salem used to communicate over vast distances; how Cinder had procured a smaller version was a mystery to him.

With a sharp intake of breath, he rubbed the sphere the way she had previously shown him, staring into its depths to await a reply. He did not have to wait long, after only a few seconds the vision of beauty that was Cinder Fall appeared looking back at him.

"Hi," he started simply. "I missed you."

Cinder made gestures with her right hand. He could see the rings under her eye, it was clear she still could not sleep soundly. The young man had taken many days to learn the one-handed form of sign language Cinder was currently utilizing from Emerald. He watched every contour of her hand to ensure he understood what she was saying perfectly.

"No," he chuckled as she finished her question. "I have not killed Tyrian yet though he seems to be asking for it. We are on the trail of Ruby and the others now; we should overtake them shortly.

Cinder motioned again.

"Some bandits saw them pass through a destroyed village, matched her description perfectly. Would you believe they let them pass because they thought they looked intimidating from a distance?"

His Maiden almost seemed to smile but restrained herself before asking another question.

 _No need to mention the bandits further,_ he sighed. Tyrian had wished to have his fun with each and every member of that band; fortunately a few well-chosen words of delaying Salem's command had him on the road once more. Ember supplied the incentive to dissuade future acts from the group for fear he'd return with his traveling companion otherwise. They could think about the sins of their past as the broken bones healed slowly.

"At least four, maybe five from the tracks, I have a few ideas of who they might be. With any luck she will come quietly without a fight." She didn't even need to sign, the Fall Maiden simply glared at him as if to ask how naïve he could possibly be. "It's a chance," he asserted before she could raise a finger. "One I am willing to take, have you thought on my request yet?"

Cinder glanced away from the sphere, gritting her teeth.

"You…look lovely," Ember remarked, both telling the truth while changing the subject upon realizing she had not yet decided. He could not help but notice her hair was slowly yet surely growing back. Already it was almost down to her shoulders.

Cinder continued to look away, only acknowledging his statement with a subtle flattening of her hair and a nod.

"Wh-when I return and this is over, I can finally get around to that banquet I promised. Do you remember?"

 **Salem's Realm, months ago…**

"I know it hurts, but you have to eat," Horatio insisted. He offered Cinder another spoonful of soup, one of the few things she could keep down. Feeding normally fell into Emerald's jurisdiction since she had awoken, but Salem insisted on using her and Mercury for missions while Cinder was incapacitated.

If looks could kill Horatio would have been dead a dozen times over and then some. Cinder's remaining amber eye stared more than daggers into him. He and Emerald were rotating shifts caring for her and she was improving, slowly but surely. She was sitting up now which was an improvement though had almost no energy. The bandages on her face had been removed by Emerald before she left to let the skin breathe and it was obvious she was hiding it from him. The rest of her was covered in a black patient gown with an elastic sleeve pulled snugly onto the stump of her left arm covering the damage. Dr. Watts assured them that Salem and Merlot were working on a replacement. Horatio was quite surprised to hear after the defeat on the island he had entered Salem's service. His current location was a well-kept secret.

Cinder was still unable to speak other than whispered groans and even that caused her great pain. Horatio had a notepad and scroll on the nearby desk but she never used them, the only rationale he could think of was she didn't want to be seen fumbling for them with a single hand. He tried to stick to yes and no questions while relying on her blinks, one for yes, and two for no.

He blew on the spoon several more times before offering it to her. After a few tense moments she slurped it up, her face contorting in pain as she swallowed.

"Another?"

A single angry blink.

"See, I have been improving. The kitchens in this place are pretty decent. A bit more time and I'll have a feast ready when you are feeling better. Not just soup, oh no, somehow they get fish here." He blew on another spoonful, raising it to her lips. "I even found the special reserve, how do you feel about an old Mistral red? I remember you saying how fond you were of it."

Cinder slowly took the sip, her eye still burning into his.

"I'm sorry," he replied, his voice growing somber. "I know you hate this but just bear with me for now. If it will make you feel better you can break all the bones in my body and nurse ME back to health when you are feeling better."

Cinder smirked deviously at that suggestion. Horatio could only hope she was smiling at the nursing back to health part rather than the prospect of breaking all his bones.

"It'll be great, you won't have to rely on a peon like me anymore," he allowed himself a quick laugh. "You'll probably feel better getting out of those rags, maybe a nice hair trim…" Horatio reached over without thinking, brushing aside the hair that Cinder had meticulously molded to perfectly cover the left side of her face. He smiled serenely at the sight of seeing her entire face.

Cinder swung her hand; catching the tray he was holding before attempting to brush the hair back into place. Her swing was not very strong but it was unexpected, the bowl of soup flipped, sending its contents splashing against the stony floor. Horatio jumped to his feet, narrowly avoiding the bulk of the hot liquid.

"You don't have to be so stubborn!" He shouted louder than he should have in frustration, Cinder looked away and stared off into nothing, still trying to flatten the hair over her missing eye. "I'm sorry, you…you don't have to hide from me!" She refused to acknowledge him. "But, if you prefer Emerald she will be back in a few hours, I…I can take a walk. I need to get a towel first." He motioned towards the spilled soup. "Be right back."

Horatio wiped his hands on his pants as he walked out of the room without looking back. He was fuming inside, she was just so….so….

It had been over a month since the battle at Beacon, or so he thought, time was hard to gauge in Salem's Domain. He had been given no information other than the fact the school belonged to the Grimm. How many people had died? Did his team or friends make it out? He was sure they did, someone had to have. So many had fought and died there, and here he was, in the belly of the beast who had orchestrated the entire event.

 _Nothing I can do,_ he kept telling himself to no avail. _I could fight certainly, might even do some damage until Salem showed up, then that'd be the end of it._ The look of pure hatred on Jaune's face for Cinder remained locked in his mind and he couldn't blame him after her fight with Pyrrha. Despite all she had done, Horatio just couldn't hate her, it wasn't in him anymore.

Rounding a corner he nearly ran into someone else coming from the opposite path. The mountain of muscle that was Hazel Rainart blocked his path. Horatio had seen the intimidating man around the Keep but hadn't spoken with him yet.

"Has she recovered?" he asked in his usual deep gnarled voice, not even acknowledging their near collision.

"She's…improving," Horatio sighed as he retrieved a towel from the nearby closet, "her taste in my cooking notwithstanding."

Hazel raised an eyebrow, completely unaffected by his attempt at humor.

"Weather sure is funny here," he continued, trying to attempt small talk again. "I don't think I've seen a single cloud since my arrival."

 _Or the sun for that matter._

"The seasons have not visited here in a long time, time being what she needs now to heal," Hazel finally spoke after an awkward silence. "Be there when she needs it…or you will regret it later when there is none left." With that he walked around him, continuing down his previous path.

 _Is everyone who works for Salem an absolute dichotomy of expectations?_

Horatio made his way back to the room thinking over what Hazel had said. His face seemed so somber, it was doubtful he was serving Salem out of loyalty or believing in her cause of destruction. Perhaps he could talk to him later…

Horatio knocked twice before opening the door, looking around it hesitantly as there was no easy way for Cinder to warn him NOT to come in. She was still decent and sitting upright in the bed, the spilled soup slowly pooling out from where it had landed. Horatio approached the bed and knelt, dabbing up the mess.

"I…can try adding seasoning or something next time," he started to break the silence. "There has to be something in there that is mild on the throat, maybe a nice dash of sage or honey…"

Cinder's remaining arm snapped towards him, gripping just below the shoulder. Horatio glanced up in surprise, she looked miserable; all attempts to flatten her hair once more had failed. The mangled skin around her eye could now clearly be seen; her lid closed tight to hide that nothing now lay behind it. Horatio could even see that her left ear was shriveled, appearing more degraded than the right. His eyes instinctively followed the trail, realizing the scar tissue continued down the left side of her face, disappearing into her gown. The former huntsman in-training hadn't looked too closely when bandaging her arm and eye after the battle, there was so much blood covering her at the time. Despite Cinder's normally stoic nature, he could feel the vibrations through her arm.

She was trembling.

"Cinder I-," he whispered the beginning of his apology, leaning closer so that she did not have to reach so far. Once he was in range her arm jumped around his neck, dragging him in as she held him, her whole body was shaking.

Horatio kept his hands up for several seconds for fear of reprisal of any movement, but after a time realized his concern was unfounded. Tenderly he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tight. Cinder froze at his embrace but eventually relaxed, pressing her face deeper into his chest. How long had she been acting strong through the pain since regaining consciousness? Without Emerald, and to an extent Mercury, he doubted she trusted anyone else in Salem's Keep.

 _Despite all she's done, I just can't hate her, it's not like a few scars would change that fact. It was her defending my body that caused her to be so…maimed._ _I will make sure she NEVER regrets letting me in._

Horatio only squeezed tighter as her shakes slowly subsided, softly stroking her hair soothingly while whispering to her. They just held the embrace until a shocked Emerald eventually walked in on them hours later, the white towel discolored beneath the bed in the long forgotten puddle of soup.

 **Present Day…**

"Has…everything been okay while I've been gone?" Ember asked, voicing his greatest concern at having been sent away. Cinder nodded, but the slight glance away betrayed her deceit. "What has Salem been doing?" He squeezed his free hand tight in frustration out of sight of the sphere. Cinder motioned again, spelling out a single word.

'Training'

 _I need to get back as quickly as possible._

"I'll be coming home soon, I swear," he assured her. "Just don't let her change you again." Gently he kissed his middle and forefinger, pressing them up against the glass sphere in his hand. For the first time since he could recall, she reciprocated the gesture as her image faded and the orb became clear again.

 _I'll give Tyrian a few hours then we head out again. If he is as dedicated as he acts, he won't need much sleep._

 **The hunters near their prey, families are reunited in Menagerie as souls are tempered at Patch. The tale of our divided heroes continues next time. As always, I hope you Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	7. Tipping Towards Oblivion

**Lelouch of Zero: Thank you so much for the kind words :D A fresh perspective on the MCs with the inclusion of OCs is one of my goals for this story. Indeed that storm may be sooner than we think...**

 **LunaTheBlackWolf: No reason to not love both :D They are both examples of men truly in love with very different types of strong women.**

 **And with that…onto the show!**

"I'm sorry!" Ruby groaned. "I've never been so far from home…I had no idea how far Haven would be!"

Jaune and Ren had been surprised to learn that apparently, the young huntress had assumed a trip to Haven would only take two to three weeks to complete. As it stood, they were thankful for restocking food and supplies before heading out from the last village.

Nora was not far ahead of the group looking around, Olivia was noticeably absent as she had been since their departure from the village. She trailed far behind under the excuse of covering their backs while also using her rifle to scout the surrounding area. Ren had not told anyone of Hildie or her outburst back at the inn and was certain she was keeping distance for their own safety.

 _To think she'd been hiding something like that,_ he mused as they walked onward as they had day after day. The member team JNPR had been wracking his brain on how he could help but was coming up short. Nowhere in his studies had he ever heard of a semblance forming a second consciousness from the original beyond simple insanity. He pushed that possibility aside after recalling what he had seen…a mental condition wouldn't do THAT to someone's eyes. _And that it would happen now, Nora is already on edge with coming back to…_

"Village up ahead," they heard Olivia's voice crackle over their short-ranged scroll channels.

"Strange," Jaune looked over their map again. "We shouldn't be coming across another one for a few days."

"I don't see anyone," their far-off sniper clarified. "It's just…empty."

They were upon the walls of the unknown village soon enough, it was just as Olivia had said. There was no one present, no bodies or signs of damage anywhere. On the contrary, most of the buildings looked to not having been finished yet, scaffolds and other support structures still present though slowly giving way under the passage of time. The wood was rotting while nature had started to reclaim it, vines and other assorted plant life covered the area.

"It looks like the town was abandoned," Ren theorized after the team had gone through the immediate area. Even Olivia had caught up though had a larger personal bubble than before.

"No people, supplies or any sign that this place has been inhabited in a long time," she sighed. "Like a ghost town."

 _ **Not afraid of ghosts are you?**_

"Hey!" Nora called out at length. "I think I found something!"

The rest of RNJRR rushed over as the pink Valkyrie brushed a cluster of bushes from a tall sign with large letters carved into.

"Oniyuri? Never heard of it."

"Me neither, I thought I knew all the villages around here," Jaune scratched his head.

"It's not on the map," Olivia looked it over. She saw numerous villages and town dotted around the area but none in their immediate vicinity.

"I've heard of it," Ren admitted after a moment of silence. Everyone turned to give him their undivided attention at an answer to the mystery of the empty village. "You might think of it as Anima's Mountain Glenn…if it had never completed."

A chill ran through everyone present at the reminder of Mountain Glenn, of the settlement slowly but surely overrun…resulting in nothing but ruins left behind of the ferocity and seemingly unassailable nature of the Grimm.

"Years ago, the richest members of Mistral were unhappy with how the kingdom was being run. Frustrated with the council, they pooled their resources together to build their own city with their own laws hoping it would one day become a kingdom. I know my parents did, they spared no expense, state of the art defenses, barriers. They even hired the valedictorian from Haven that year as a full-time huntsman to protect from the Grimm."

"The Grimm?" Olivia asked at Hildie's prodding. It was the same answer everywhere; she didn't even need to wait for Ren's nod of confirmation.

"And it wasn't just any one…" Ren's fingers tightened into a fist at the memory of his childhood.

"One Grimm?" Ruby sounded shocked. Grimm were known for their ferocity in numbers, other than the Dragon at Beacon she couldn't imagine a single creature taking out a city of this size. Even Goliaths had countermeasures to prevent them from rampaging.

"What…could do that?" Olivia stuttered.

 _ **I'd sure love to meet THAT specimen…must put up QUITE the fight. Dibs on the reigns of we find it.**_ Olivia punched her head again unnoticed by the others.

"You don't want to know," Ren answered ominously. "Be glad it is no longer around."

"M-maybe we should get out of here," Jaune asserted. "Best to keep moving if there are no supplies here."

The group was in complete agreement, between Ren's story and the eerie emptiness of unfinished buildings no one wanted to remain even a night. Ruby was the last to leave, almost able to sense the echo of sorrow left behind many years past. They were in such a hurry that none, not even Ren or Nora noticed a terrifyingly familiar giant hoof print around the corner; it was far fresher than the one he saw in Shion…

 **Atlas…**

The hall was packed, every seat filled for the event set to start. As always, her father had made sure to summon every person worth knowing in the Atlas business world. They were all talking amongst themselves as they awaited the concert to begin. The young heiress stood just offstage prepared to head out on her cue.

"On in fifteen Ms. Schnee," A passing stagehand alerted her before moving on to the next task at hand without even awaiting a reply. She nodded her understanding but doubted he saw it.

Weiss smiled as was expected, the perfect daughter to the Schnee family who was the envy of every woman in the world. At least until she was certain no one was watching, in which case the smile quickly vanished to be replaced by a sigh.

 _It's to help Beacon and Vale,_ she kept telling herself. Her father could have hired anyone he wanted to sing, he was showing her off again. She enjoyed singing, but not in this setting. _If this can raise enough money to help…then it's worth it._

"You have naught to worry about Weiss, your vocal talents are well known."

Weiss turned to see a familiar disarming smile; Penny was half obscured behind a drape glancing as if to ensure she was not spotted.

"What are you doing here?" Weiss whispered as she got closer. "No one is allowed backstage except…"

"Your last practice with me seemed several decibels off from your previous attempts," she explained in her usual way. "That led me to conclude there was upwards of a 90% probability that you needed a friend to talk to."

"Thanks Penny," Weiss' smile returned. "I just," she paused, uncertain of how much she should say, "didn't think I'd be doing this again so soon."

"But you were singing at Beacon," Penny asserted, clearly misunderstanding her words. "I recall everyone loving your performance at the Vytal Festival."

"Not singing Penny," she clarified. "Singing here, in Atlas, it just…doesn't feel right. It hasn't in a long time."

She thought back to after her mother and father had their falling out, never occupying the same balcony after her tenth birthday. It had drained all the enjoyment from it yet at the same time was one of the few activities she had enjoyed, at least, before becoming part of Team RWBY. It took all she had to hold her composure at the idea that she'd likely never see them again.

"Then, why do it?" She asked with her innocent smile never faltering.

 _Because you don't say no to father?_ Just thinking that twisted knots into her stomach.

"For the fundraiser," was the excuse she gave the young girl. "To help everyone after that suffered from what happened at Beacon."

Penny looked upwards as if deep in thought before replying. "If you are not fond of this particular method of aid, you could choose another."

"I…can't," Weiss admitted. "Father…"

"I used to think that I too could not do as I wished," Penny interrupted uncharacteristically, her face the slightest more serious than Weiss had ever thought to see. "Unkind words were said that I was to be used as others wanted, that my say in it was unnecessary."

Weiss listened intently to her words, for the first time realizing how eerily similar their circumstances were.

"Father meant well, but wanted me to stay away from others out of worry how they would react. Ruby showed me otherwise, that not everyone thinks that way about someone just because of where they came from. I know we did not speak much before…but I could tell Ruby's choice in friends was not misplaced."

Weiss looked away, hiding the blush forming on her face at her words. Penny was always too kind though she made Weiss feel even guiltier at having left Patch without saying goodbye.

"Ruby…and Cam of course," Penny fidgeted her feet slightly as if actually embarrassed.

"Cam?" Weiss felt bad she had not considered where he'd been since the fall. "How is…"

"He is doing QUITE well; General Ironwood made him his personal pilot as thanks for ensuring my safety in the battle and for his impressive display in the Galinda. Regrettably, he has been chauffeuring the General to his various appointments."

"Are…you two still…?" Weiss could not resist asking.

"Oh we are still going quite steadily. He assured me that my current bodily composition has no bearing on our emotional bond. Though the General still watches him closely, I fear he may have threatened him in my absence on several occasions."

Weiss allowed a chuckle before standing just a little straighter than before. "Thanks Penny, I needed that."

"Also, before you go out there…I believe your hair is off-centered."

Weiss gasped, looking in a nearby stage mirror to see how she could have gotten it wrong only to be met with confusion. Her ponytail was aligned perfectly straight as her father had insisted, she could not find the slightest fault with it.

"Is it not normally off to the side?" Penny asked with a tilt of her head for emphasis. "It doesn't seem like you otherwise."

Weiss just stared at the reflection looking back at her, Penny was right, it looked…off. With a tug of the braid she let her long hair fall down her back, breathing in deep with a determined look that had been sorely missing.

"Will you help me fix that mistake?" Penny's eyes lit up at the offer as she half-teleported behind Weiss, hair already being pulled together at the proper angle.

"Of course, I attempted a ponytail last month but apparently it was not up to military standards. I can have yours completed with 99.3% repeating accuracy to how it was back at Beacon with time to spare before you begin…"

 **Oniyuri…**

Ren held his hand up, commanding the group to stop. Closing his eyes he focused his senses, certain that he had felt something. Confirming his suspicions, he slowly drew his pistols, the rest of Team RNJRR understanding and readying their own weapons.

"Behind…" the huntsman in training started, but his warning was pointless. In an instant someone moving faster than they'd ever seen bounded over the building behind them. He slid and landed several feet in front of them drawing his strange weapons. He was tall with brown hair tied into a single long braid and was armed with large wrist blades attached to bracers on each arm grinning at the team in such a way that a chill ran down their spines.

Without a word he charged towards Ruby, letting out quick sets of cackles as he ran.

Ren was the first to jump in his path, firing his guns. The stranger blocked each shot, easily parrying his attempts to slash him upon reaching melee range. With a single powerful kick he sent Ren flying and continued his pace towards Ruby.

Jaune and Nora flanked him from each side, the blonde knight ensuring he got in front before he reached her. He slashed but the man was faster, in an instant Jaune found him literally clinging to his shield shoving his face uncomfortably close to his own.

"Ooooooo," he squeaked, his face locked in an expression of intense curiosity as he looked into the Jaune's eyes.

Olivia fired a round towards him but despite his fixation on Jaune the attacker had the self-awareness to jump away in time, kicking into his shield so hard Jaune staggered backwards. Nora charged where he was about to land and swung her hammer. Once more he easily evaded, stepping on top of the head in mockery of her skills. Before Nora could think of a next move he leapt off gracefully, landing several yards from the group with a smug look of utter satisfaction on his face.

"Who are you!?" Ren shouted.

"We're not looking for a fight!" Jaune insisted, the group taking up a defensive posture now that they had breathing room.

"Who I am matters not to you," he replied, pointing at Ren. "Or you," this one was directed at Nora. His look fell on Olivia next, winking at her in a way that made her skin crawl. "Oohoo, I LOVE your eyes, how ravishing!"

Olivia felt her face instinctually, utterly certain her eyes were their normal color, however the unsettling foe clearly saw different.

Lastly, he smiled sinisterly at Jaune again. "Well…you DO interest me." The armored young man took a hesitant step backwards. "No," he continued at length. "I only matter…to you."

He pointed straight at Ruby Rose.

"Me?" She asked, a look of complete bewilderment on her face.

The attacker started to laugh which quickly evolved into full blown hysterical cackles. "You…you haven't the slightest clue do you? Oh how EXCITING this must be!"

"What do you want?" Ruby asked, her cute tone gone, a look of sheer hatred for the man burning on her face.

"Oh, the rose has thorns!" He replied, putting his hand on his chest sarcastically, acting as if her behavior was unjustified. "My little flower, I am here to whisk you away with me!" He held out his arms dramatically as if performing theatre.

"You don't look like much of a Prince Charming," Olivia remarked, stepping in front of Ruby.

"And what if she doesn't WANT to go with you?" Nora asked, stepping between Ruby and the assailant.

"Well…I'll take her."

"We're NOT going to let you do that," Jaune reinforced, raising his shield. At this point everyone was now between Ruby and the strange man.

The attacker closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before replying.

"Gooood."

He launched himself at Jaune's shield again. A moment before he would have impacted, he suddenly disappeared, reappearing behind him with his wrist blades raised over his head.

"JAUNE!" Ren called out, firing his pistols. With how close they were he was forced to hit Jaune with several rounds but they bounced off his shield. The rest were deflected expertly by the attacker.

Olivia converted her rifle's barrel into its mace form, igniting the head with fire dust and charged. She opened fire with the remainder of her now mid-range weapon, as he dodged sideways as she suspected she brought the mace down.

The man saw it coming, spinning out of the way so that it smashed into the ground harmlessly. Nora swung her hammer down but he managed to parry it with a single blade, knocking her to the side. Ruby activated her semblance, blasting past him in hopes of drawing his attention but the assailant saw through her. Jumping into the air, he roundhouse kicked just as she passed, sending Ruby tumbling back to the ground.

Nora dug into her belt, retrieving one of the dust injectors she now carried courtesy of Ezzy's box of Atlas goodies. With a huff she jabbed it into her bare leg. A surge of lightning lit up her skeleton, a smile locked on her face, she felt invincible as the power surged through her.

As the strange man parried another of Olivia's swings with a kick and backhanded Ren, Nora appeared behind him, raising the hammer over her head she brought it down with a deafening blow. The team was forced to brace themselves as the shockwave struck them, a quick static of electricity following it. They had never seen Nora pull off such a swing, it put her past strength to shame.

As the dust settled their hearts sunk, the strange man was still standing strong, Nora vying against him but he appeared to be holding. Her hammer had been blocked by an immense stinger attached to a tail protruding from his lower back. Despite her best effort it was not budging.

"Surprise!" He cried, slapping her in the side with his tail and sending her flying. With a graceful backflip he threw off the brown overcoat he had been wearing and stood triumphantly atop the destroyed remains of a nearby fountain.

"He's…a faunus?" Olivia remarked, absolutely confused how he had hidden it the entire fight.

"What is this about?" Ruby asked, absolutely frustrated at the situation. "The White Fang? Roman Torchwick?"

"Plastic soldiers and pawns!" He exclaimed, acting disgusted that he was being mentioned in the same sentence. "My heart and body belong only to our Goddess!" He threw his arms up theatrically as if in thanks.

Ruby angrily muttered what everyone was thinking. "Cinder…"

The faunus laughed again. "Only in her WILDEST dreams, though I suppose she would be HIS Goddess." He pointed behind them, causing all to turn at who he was referring.

A new man emerged from around a nearby building. He looked like a knight from the old tales; armored from head to toe with a winged helmet obscuring his face. A red cloak billowed behind him in the breeze. Everyone noticed the emblem burned into his chest, a heart formed from twin slippers pressed together…Cinder's calling card.

What drew their attention more was the weapon slung diagonally across his back. It looked like a lance but based on the intricate design and mechanical ports scattered across the surface it was obviously more than that. A large metal plate was present at the handle no doubt some sort of miniature shield or a large handguard. He did not have it drawn.

"You should not have run ahead Tyrian," the newcomer chastised, his voice reverberating in his helm. "We were to meet with them together."

"I had things WELL in hand little Ember," Tyrian sneered. "If you wish to prevent their escape you may do so. This will not take long."

"There may be no need," the knight remarked, holding out his equally armored hand to Ruby. "Her Grace and the Autumn Maiden, Lady Cinder Fall, have requested your presence Ms. Rose. You will not find her at Haven. If you agree to see her, I swear on my life that no harm will come to you or your friends."

Tyrian groaned behind them, clearly he did not agree with the arrangement.

"And what does she want with me?" Ruby asked defensively. Team RNJRR split their focus. Jaune, Ren and Olivia targeted the newcomer while Ruby and Nora remained focused on the scorpion-faunus.

"I did not question my lady's wishes," he replied tactfully. "But I believe she requests your presence in regards to your actions atop Beacon tower. If you desire for all to end without conflict, I BEG of you to acquiesce and come with us."

Ruby's eyes widened in anxiety at the memory of that night, her look was noticed by her team who stepped up.

"Not happening," Olivia answered for her, her weapon reconverted to its rifle form as she took aim. "We have no reason to trust anything Cinder has to say, or anyone associated with her!"

"If you could reconsider…"

"N-no," Ruby shirked back, her hesitation to fight still weighing down on her.

"The little flower wilts before the embers," Tyrian giggled poetically. "If you will not fulfill YOUR goddess' command, then I shall fulfill mine!"

"Tyrian…" Ember threatened, but it was too late as the faunus lunged for his prey.

Olivia reacted, firing a round which clanged off Ember's helmet, the chance for a peaceful settlement burned to ash.

"That is…most regrettable," he lamented, drawing the lance from his back. Surprisingly his voice sounded truly sorrowful that they would have to fight.

Olivia was quite confused, the two were clearly working together yet between the maniacal obsessions of the scorpion-Faunus versus the calm polite demeanor of the knight they could not have been more different.

The knight aimed the lance at Jaune who realized too late the barrel opening beneath the tip. A small dust-infused cannonball erupted from it, colliding with his shield; the resulting explosion sent him flying through a nearby wall. Ren and Olivia strafed to each side unloading their arsenal into Cinder's knight. Their rounds impacted his armor with seemingly no effect; he was not even staggering at their shots. Running forward he thrust the lance towards Ren who barely had time to parry it with his pistol-blades, cartwheeling over and kicking him in the winged helmet to equally little effect. The knight spun; catching the mid-air ninja in the chest and sending him crumpling in the distance as his aura failed at the full force of his own attacks which was turned against him.

Simultaneously, Tyrian battled Ruby and Nora, dodging the pink warrior's hammer with ease. Ruby hopped back, her eyes wide at the prospect of facing a humanoid opponent again; she could only hold Crescent Rose up in defense. After an especially skillful dodge of Nora's swings, Tyrian balanced on one hand and spun to parry her scythe, kicking Ruby with all his might in the gut with both feet. Her aura collapsed from the pressure as she was sent flying.

Nora tried to help but he spun around, bouncing over her hammer and slashing her across the chest three times. Her aura sputtered weakly but did not yet collapse.

Across the field, Ember swung his lance, Olivia barely ducking beneath it. He brought it over his head and slammed it down towards her. Before it could impact an immense sword came out of nowhere, knocking it aside as a shape blasted past him. Reflexively Ember pulled back, leaping away to a safe distance.

No longer caring about Nora, Tyrian chased after Ruby who was still airborne from his kick, catching up to her before she finally fell to the ground. Sneering in triumph, he raised his tail, jabbing it towards her as his eyes glowed a sickly purple.

The shape that had spooked Ember dashed between them, an instant before the stinger would have connected with Ruby it stopped, blocked by the new combatant.

"Uncle Qrow," Ruby smiled upon recognizing the newcomer to the fight.

 **Mistral Farm…**

"What were you thinking?" Oscar's aunt chastised as she tended to his admittedly minor injuries from the attack. She had caught Oscar sneaking into the house in search of medical supplies and forced him to tell the whole truth excluding the mention of voices in his head.

"It was just one Grimm auntie…"

"One is all it takes!" She pressed the cotton ball into his injury just a smidge harder than was necessary for emphasis. "That's what huntsmen are for! I want you to SWEAR to me you won't do that again!"

"Then what good am I?" Oscar fired back, his adrenaline still pumping from the near-death experience. "I wake up, tend the crops, eat and go to sleep. If that is all I can do then what…"

His aunt leaned forward, wrapping her arms tight around her nephew squeezing tightly as if he was in danger of getting away from her.

"I promised my sister I would take care of you," she whispered so low he barely made out her words. "If anything would happen to you…"

Oscar froze at her words; he knew of course she loved him ever since she'd take him into her home, but not like this. She'd always been caring but strict, always making sure he did what he was told and finished his chores in time. Sure, she oft threatened no food if he slacked off but had never once followed through with it.

"I-I'd be fine," he stammered out, unsure how to process her tender words. "You don't have to worry about me every second. I'm fourteen after all…"

"You're ONLY fourteen," she corrected. "Please…just promise me you'll be more careful, you can tell me if something like this happens again.

 _ **You can't make that promise.**_

Oscar tried to ignore the voice that wouldn't stop talking to him. He looked into his aunt's begging eyes; she wanted him to say it more than anything.

"I…I promise to be as safe as I can auntie." He could have sworn her heard a heavy sigh in his head as she nodded her head in appreciation.

"See," she sniffed back a little bit. "That wasn't so bad, now…go wash up for dinner. I am sure you are filthy after your little adventure. I want to see clean hands."

Oscar soon found himself in the barn rinsing his hands in a basin of water, leather gloves discarded nearby.

 _ **Oscar…**_

"I've decided you are not real, so you might as well give up."

 _ **I understand how you're feeling,**_ the voice that had introduced itself as Professor Ozpin continued regardless. _**I went through the same panic and confusion the first time this happened…and the second.**_

Oscar splashed a few extra handfuls of water into his face hoping that would alleviate the voice; perhaps snap him out of whatever he was going through.

"I'm just stressed out from the battle," he told himself and the voice. "That is all, once I calm down…"

 _ **I can assure you I am quite real, though you are perfectly sane."**_

"I'm talking to a voice in my head!" Oscar asserted despite his previous statements.

 _ **I didn't say you were normal…I said you were sane, quite a significant difference between…**_

"SHUT UP!" Oscar called out. It sounded so calm almost like it was acting smug and poking fun at the situation he found himself in. "This isn't funny!"

 _ **That was never my intention and I apologize, we are in complete agreement on that statement Mr. Pine. I wish this wasn't the case, that you had to be chosen but…as I tried to tell you on the way back, our aura…our souls are combined.**_

"I'm done listening," Oscar asserted once more, heading to the door to leave.

 _ **Have you ever been to Haven?**_ Ozpin asked, causing Oscar to pause as he mentioned the Huntsman Academy. He had said before they should go there but he'd ignored it. It appeared he hadn't given up.

"I told you I'm not going…"

 _ **Do you think you could describe the Headmaster's office? Try.**_

"No," Oscar tried to resist again. "I've never seen it, I'd have no idea of…the autumn color, the mahogany desk with…a table and tea set for guests that I…I gave him?" He hadn't tried to, but the moment the question of the office was brought up the image had flashed in his mind as if he'd seen it a hundred times. "Wh-why would I say that?"

 _ **Because I helped build that school and the tea set was a gift for the man running it now. You can't very well be crazy if the information in your head is accurate that you couldn't possibly have known otherwise…right?**_

Oscar couldn't believe it was happening, maybe…just maybe the voice was telling the truth. How could he know that otherwise? It was so detailed, so…

 _ **If you don't believe me you can look it up, if I recall your aunt has several books on Haven downstairs. I'm sure you could find a picture in one of them.**_

Oscar relaxed, almost relieved. How ironic Ozpin had just revealed to him the logical explanation. His aunt had always been enamored with the idea of dashing huntsmen and knights riding to the aid of princesses locked in towers since she was little. She'd bored him to sleep with those books and where huntsmen were trained since he was small enough to remember.

"Of course," he sighed. "I must have seen it in a picture once. That is it."

 _ **Oscar…**_ he started, he could already tell by its tone what it was going to say.

"STOP TALKING TO ME!" He screamed, jumping to his feet in an instant and silencing this Ozpin if only for a moment.

 _ **I would if that were an option,**_ Ozpin finally started sounding truly regretful. _**But I have a great responsibility on my shoulders…and so do you now. This would be your opportunity.**_

"Opportunity for what?" Oscar had slumped back against the wall, seemingly no way to escape the voice.

 _ **To do something bigger than this, I know for a fact you didn't want to stay a stable hand your whole life.**_

Oscar didn't like the sound of that, how could he know that? He had never even shared that fleeting dream with his aunt out of fear she'd come down hard on it to dissuade him from leaving. If this thing in his mind wasn't just his imagination or a loosening grip on sanity…then that meant…

"You just read my thoughts?"

 _ **Well…they are OUR thoughts now…**_

Oscar was horrified, this…entity seemed to be able to just know his every thought yet he couldn't tell anything about it. Certainly, he had seen the image of the Haven Academy Headmaster's office, yet only after it seemed to allow him to. Other than that, his incorporeal squatter was a mystery. He gripped his head in frustration at no other way to deal with him.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" He screamed, slamming his skull into the barn door.

Silence, blessed silence as he heard no more of the strange voice that had accompanied him since the attack. With a final sigh, the young farmer dried his hands to prepare for supper. He did not hear the voice; however as he left a single distant thought barely a whisper passed through his mind.

 _ **I wish I could…**_

 **Atlas…**

The concert had gone off beautifully; the young heiress hit every note, enunciated each word and exemplified the meaning behind the song. Mirror, Mirror, Weiss had written it herself and the lyrics spoke to her, not that Whitley or anyone in the room truly understood she imagined. As usual, her father and Whitley were located in the balcony of highest prominence; she didn't know which one her mother had selected to use to keep her distance from him.

The events quickly moved to the after party and exhibition where the true profits of the evening might be had. Artwork was being auctioned off with bidding to start after the many rounds of drinks Jacques would have for his business partners. From the look of it he had called in every single one he had. With so many present, he hadn't even chastised her for the adjusted ponytail.

Weiss found herself where she was always required to be at such stages of the events, at her father's side with Whitley opposite her. "Showing familial unity," he called it without taking into account he hadn't been seen by her mother's side at one since she was ten. His definition of family seemed highly subjective…if it meant anything to him at all. Klein had passed by several times, more than was necessary for his duties as head butler. Each time she saw him it help alleviate her anxiety if only a little.

He was currently in the middle of another discussion on the economic disparity between Mantle and Atlas, humans and faunus that would as usual go nowhere due to the arguments being "invalid." Weiss was barely finding a way to stand the evening as nothing but a glorified doll for Jacques to show off.

And then she saw it, the centerpiece of the exhibition, an impressive portrait done of Beacon Academy before the fall. The towers stood tall and bright just like the first day she'd stepped off the bullhead. She hadn't appreciated them at the time but had grown attached over time, a fact she hadn't realized until she was back in Atlas. Without thinking, she turned to approach the painting only for the familiar hand of Jacques to seize her wrist suddenly without even turning from his business partners.

"Where are you going?" He asked sternly, unwilling for her to be anywhere else except adding to his image.

"I'm…" she hesitated, he'd never let her leave just to admire the painting, he'd consider it a superfluous reason. "Just a little thirsty."

"Sweetheart," his features softened somewhat as if he had thought she'd a more selfish reason. "We have people for that."

"No," Weiss pulled his hand down as he signaled to Klein to bring her something. "I can get it; I'll be right back I promise."

Jacques just eyed her suspiciously as if her desire for space was a nefarious plot to belittle or humiliate him. After several tense seconds, he finally turned away to continue the pointless conversation behind him. Weiss ducked out as soon as his eyes were off her, making for the painting.

She recognized it from when she was little, a portrait of all four academies once hung in one of the side room. Her mother had been a fan of the obscure artist, after Willow and Jacques' falling out he had them all taken down and sold.

 _He probably didn't even realize it was the same painting,_ she thought as her eyes fell on the signature at the bottom.

"Mariemaia."

"It's beautiful," she heard a young man remark to her side. "You two match."

Weiss sighed; the source of the compliment was a young man in a red and black suit without the jacket that likely cost a fortune. He had a suave smile and slicked blue hair as he attempted to draw her attention. She had seen the look a hundred times before; he wasn't seeing her…he was seeing her name.

"Yes, it is a lovely painting," she replied flatly, her attention remaining off him.

"So…" he continued after several seconds of awkward silence. "That was my attempt at breaking the ice…how am I doing so far?"

"You are leaving a lot to be desired," Weiss answered bluntly.

"Well, I've always appreciated honesty. The name is Henry, Henry Marigold." He extended a hand in greeting.

Upon realizing he wasn't going away, she extended her hand with a sigh, placing it in his as limply as she could while still maintaining the expected level of politeness. "Weiss Schnee."

"I know! I saw your performance…obviously," he replied struggling for words. "It was wonderful! And I promise I'm not just saying that because you're pretty."

 _Just keep on digging. Neptune was just as bad but at least he wasn't motivated by my status…and had the wherewithal to know that about himself._ She continued to focus on the painting, trying to understand why her mother loved the style so much. She had to admit the details were spot on despite the fact it had to have been painted ten years ago at least.

"So…you thinking about buying it?" Henry asked at noticing her intense stare.

 _Buy back my own painting? That'd be ironic; if mother still cared about anything outside the bottle I may have considered it._

"No, I don't think so."

"Yea…kind of pricey for a painting."

"It's to raise money," Weiss kept replying to him despite her desire for him to leave. It seemed he just made her more and more frustrated with each word he spoke.

"Oh really, for what?"

"For…what?" He had attended the concert, clearly having at least received the invitations, the publicity, EVERYTHING detailing why it was so important, yet had no idea what it was even for? Weiss showed her first emotion since he had come over…utter revulsion which went unnoticed by him.

"I'll admit," Henry stayed true to his assertion of honesty if nothing else. "I only come to these for the food and free drinks." As if in emphasis, he reached over and took a glass from a passing sever while half downing it in one sip. "That and the extraordinary company," he added as if to cover himself. "So what, is it another Mantle Fundraiser or something?" He was so full of himself he didn't notice Weiss silently boiling at his words. She inhaled deep in anger, no longer able to stand the sight of him.

"Funny, and here I thought everyone coming to this part was supposed to be educated," a deep smooth voice remarked from the side before she could demand his removal from the room. Weiss couldn't believe her ears and soon her eyes followed as she recognized who had just stepped in to keep her from throwing Henry out.

"Flynt?"

Flynt Coal stood before her wearing a fancier version of the suit and tie he donned at the Vytal Festival albeit with the shirt tucked in and the jacket. He looked much more professional than he often liked to dress yet still had his black shades on.

"Excuse me?" Henry Marigold asked, clearly disbelieving of what he'd just heard.

"Well," Flynt stepped closer while motioning towards the painting. "You claimed you have no idea what this event was put together for, the entire purpose behind it, when it is literally written right in front of you."

In front of the painting was a lone sign with the words "SHOW THE WORLD WE CARE: All proceeds go to the Kingdom of Vale" in large, hard to miss letters.

"You might have had one too many," Flynt motioned towards the half-empty glass in his hand. "If I were you I'd want to step off before you make an even bigger fool of yourself in front of your hostess…for goodness sake."

Henry Marigold was fuming but dare not make a scene as it wouldn't be proper. With a final huff he stormed off looking for the food tray and another stronger drink. Weiss turned to the one person she never expected to see.

"Flynt, what are you doing here?"

"Well Schne…Weiss," the trumpet player corrected as he extended his hand in greeting similar to Henry. Weiss took it and squeezed, not minding in the slightest when he leaned forward to kiss the back of it. She knew full well how much the young man hated her name, he was seeing her and nothing else. "My dad was able to get our shop back off the ground, having a son known for fighting at the Fall of Beacon certainly helped."

"But, what if…"

"The best part, with the dust embargo General Ironwood initiated, your father needs all the allies he can get to turn a profit. You didn't hear it from me, but a few deals here and there and the Dust Coalition was back on its feet."

Weiss stared blankly at the name. _And here I thought Yang was back at Patch._

"Dust COALition?"

"Hey," Flynt straightened his suit indignantly. "It's clever, sometimes a catchy name is all you need to get things going. Can't say I'm very much a fan of this highbrow crowd though; do you have any idea how much I had to hold back clocking the first three guys I spoke to? Had their heads so far up their own…"

"I-it's…nice to have another friendly face here," she interrupted quickly. "I thought maybe this could help everyone even a little but…"

"Don't let that guy get ya down," he reassured her as best he could. "Despite the oblivious nature of way too many people in this room, we have raised quite a lot of money. Did the rest of your team get to make it by chance?"

Flynt didn't need an answer; the defeated expression on her face told him everything.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, I just feel so useless here…like this painting."

"I dunno, I rather like it," Flynt swirled his untouched glass he had only for show. "I think I can find a nice room for it."

It took Weiss a moment to get his meaning, letting the slightest fringes of a relieved smile to grace her lips turning to him. The painting WAS expensive, but he didn't care, if it helped the people of Vale even a little…

"We all do our part, regardless of how small it is," he reassured her. "If you don't think you can do that here…just know you've got friends watching your back."

"I…"

"But really, does it come as any surprise what happened to Vale?" The shrill voice seemed to cut through the air over the other numerous conversations in the hall. The source of it was a blonde woman speaking louder than she should have; the slurred words gave away the reason why. "It was a long time coming if you ask me."

"Honey," the man she was speaking with tried to placate her words to no avail. He was clearly quite uncomfortable at her proclamations.

"Weiss, she's not worth…" Flynt started as he could almost sense what was going through her mind as he thought the same, though already knew deep down it was a futile effort.

"What?" She laughed, too drunk to get his meaning. "You said the same thing last night. If they're so arrogant to think they can get by without proper kingdom defense, then I say good riddance."

And that's what did it, her completely cold uncaring words at the fate of hundreds swept away what silver lining and acceptance the young heiress had found that evening. Despite the peace having another friend nearby brought her, Weiss' calm exterior snapped like a twig.

"SHUT UP!"

The entire room fell silent at her shout, the eyes of the entire room focusing on Weiss and nowhere else. Her father stared wide-eyed, his face screaming restrained anger and confusion in such a public setting.

"You don't have a clue, none of you do!" She continued her pent up rant of frustration finally having bubbled over.

"Excuse me?" The drunken woman shouted back, almost stumbling as she did so.

"You're all just standing around talking about nothing! Worrying about your hair…your money, your stupid problems that don't mean anything!"

Jacques Schnee stormed over to his daughter, grabbing her wrist securely.

"Let go of me!"

"That is enough, you are embarrassing this family!"

"Mr. Schnee!" Flynt stepped forward. "She said…"

"I SAID LET GO!" Weiss pulled hard enough to break her father's hold on her, tumbling to the hard marble floor below.

Before anyone could move, a glyph appeared beside Weiss glowing white and blue. With a quick flash of light a new form took shape…a Boarbatusk Grimm. Not even the young Schnee girl realized it was identical to the one she had bested in Professor Port's class so long ago. It was different than the ones seen by huntsmen in the wild, rather than the black body and white mask, its entire body was snow-white from head to toe with blue designs wrapping around the giant tusks.

The entire room rushed away from the creature, Flynt moving forward to put himself between the Grimm and Weiss though the creature never once looked her way. Instead it was focused intently on the blonde woman who had voiced such heartless remarks. With a ferocious roar it charged her way full speed.

"No, please stop I'm sorry I was wrong just leave me be!" She screamed too afraid to move. The Grimm was deaf to her pleas and leapt towards her.

A green beam of energy impaled the monster mid-jump, stopping its advance as the corpse slumped to the ground mere inches from the woman's feet before shimmering out of existence. A familiar redheaded girl stood near the doorway, a single blade floating over her head already converted into a laser platform. At the looks of terror at her presence she swiftly withdrew it into her back once more, a look of timid uncertainty on her face with so many looking at her. As always, she was by General Ironwood's side.

"K-keep that away from me and arrest her!" The woman roared in anger now that the danger had passed.

Ironwood looked over to Weiss lying on the ground, Flynt still checking her for injuries, yet made no move to take her into custody.

"What are you waiting for? She's insane and should be locked up!"

"She's the only one making any sense around here," Ironwood replied with a cold stare straight into the woman's eyes which cut off her burst of courage, she quickly glanced away at his look of utter disdain. Once it was obvious no others would make a move against Weiss he finally relaxed, Penny leaning in to offer aid to which Ironwood waved off. "Thanks for the party Jacques," were his last words before walking out, having had enough of the festivities for one night.

Weiss looked up sheepishly, she knew what her father would look like and he did not disappoint. His vision narrowed towards her, the dozens of eyes watching were the only thing forcing him to keep his calm. Just when she thought she could take no more of that stare it was blotted out…by Flynt.

"Are you alright?" He asked, having stepped between Jacques and his daughter, holding out his hand. Taking it hesitantly, Weiss was pulled gently to her feet, noticing the look of concern on his face, at how obviously genuine it was. "What was that thing?"

"That…was me," Weiss admitted silently as she squeezed his hand a little tighter all the while dreading the conversation with her father soon to follow.

 _I did it again…Winter was right._

 **Back in the village…**

Ember had retreated alongside his partner Tyrian, the two facing down the legendary huntsman before them having arrived from seemingly nowhere to protect the students.

"As I live and breathe," Tyrian announced, throwing up his arms before bowing low in a sign of true respect. "Qrow Branwen, a TRUE Huntsman has entered the fray!" Ember similarly bowed but not quite as low or politely as before.

Qrow looked over the two quizzically before turning to Ruby, silently asking what was going on with a simple glance.

"I don't know," Ruby shrugged. "They're weird."

"Look…fellas," Qrow replied. "I don't know who you two are, but you need to leave my niece alone."

The armored knight placed his hand over his heart and bowed again. "I am Ember, Knight of Cinders in service to the Fall Maiden."

Qrow glanced down at the emblem burned into the breastplate before replying flatly. "Really? Gee I never would have guessed."

"And I friend am Tyrian, though I am afraid this is not possible. Our assignment from her Grace was to retrieve this young girl. So that is what we must do, one does not upset the Queen."

"Queen?" Ruby asked, still confused. If it wasn't Cinder then…

"Salem," Qrow gritted through his teeth.

"Who?"

"I feel we have had enough talk, do you not agree dear Ember?"

"It would seem so," the knight agreed. "You handle the old bird, I'll take the hatchlings."

"If you think I'll just let…" Qrow started.

With a giddy smile Tyrian threw himself at Qrow, Ember simultaneously swinging around and firing his lance at Team RNJRR still waiting in the distance. This time they saw it coming and successfully avoided the blast.

Ruby leapt up the side of a building, taking a sniper position overseeing the village so she could monitor and assist in both battles. She took aim at the armored knight, yet her finger locked up as she tried to pull the trigger. No matter whom she aimed at through the scope of her rifle, all she could see was Horatio's face. The remainder of Team RNJRR charged.

Ember was the antithesis of Tyrian, where the scorpion-Faunus would dance, cartwheel and otherwise find ways of evading their attacks; Ember fought them head on. His lance had an impressive reach being nearly six feet long though was still short for the weapon type normally meant for mounted combat. Even Nora could not easily get close enough to use her hammer; Ember swung his weapon about, parrying it to the side…he all but ignored Ren and Olivia's support fire.

Jaune rushed him, sliding underneath an attack to get in close. Now in range Jaune raised his sword, bringing it down on the knight.

 _I'm too close for him to use it!_

Ember rotated the handle around, bringing the large handguard to bear. With a clash of steel it deflected Jaune's strike. Tilting his weapon downward he buried it in the ground several feet past Jaune and pulled the trigger.

The explosion blasted the stonework apart, picking Jaune up into the air. In a flash Ember spun, kicking him square in the center of his armor and throwing him across the courtyard. Ren had given up on his long-range strategy, spinning over the lance he planted both feet into Ember's chest with his full weight behind them.

Cinder's knight grunted but did not budge.

Grabbing Ren's feet he pulled him off, throwing him full force into Nora who was charging from behind. The two tumbled to the ground together, Ren clearly unmoving after they stopped.

Olivia was on him, bringing down her mace full swing at his head. Ember caught her wrist, stopping the attack before it could reach. He hesitated as his face locked with hers, a pair of dark eyes and a sinister smile greeting him. In that instant she brought her pistol to bear, unloading it point blank into his head. The knight grunted as the bullets impacted the armor, succeeding in denting the helmet at the bridge of the nose. She used his own grip on her as leverage to twist impossibly to deliver a solid kick to the side of his head.

With a heave he threw her across the courtyard, she rolled several times before righting herself, eyes normal again.

Across the battlefield Qrow led Tyrian onto an unsteady rooftop. He had managed to trick the Faunus onto a collapsing beam but he had been too fast, wrapping a tail around the experienced huntsman and dragging him inside.

"Help Qrow, we'll need him to take this guy!" Jaune shouted towards Ruby's perch, standing up again and staring Ember down. "We'll hold him off!"

Ruby looked concerned but nodded in understanding and turned, racing off to help her Uncle, Olivia following close behind. Nora was making sure an unconscious Ren was comfortable.

"You make an admirable knight," Ember complimented. "But you cannot win this battle. Prithee Mr. Arc…stand down."

"Not…happening," Jaune huffed. Despite his strong words to Ruby his body ached all over even through his aura, meanwhile Ember stood there completely unharmed.

"I will not harm her, I gave my word."

"YOU ARE TAKING HER TO CINDER!" Jaune roared, remembering the last sight of Pyrrha limping at Patch.

"She…is not as evil as you may have heard," the knight rationalized. "I would do my best to ensure my lady did not harm Ms. Rose."

"A friend of mine once thought better of her too," Jaune growled. "He died for it!"

The knight said nothing; glancing to the side he spotted a puddle of water, the surface reflecting back his armored helm. Ember lowered his lance to the ground, his desire to continue fighting completely drained. Jaune stared at his opponent in confusion, his face still unreadable beneath the dark Nevermore wings of his helmet.

 **Across the Field…**

Olivia and Ruby rushed to the building they had spotted Qrow and Tyian collapse inside. Dust and debris could be seen kicking up inside as they continued their struggle. The side of the house exploded outward, Ruby's uncle flying out like a projectile. Expertly while in mid-air he threw his sword far ahead, allowing it to imbed itself into the ground. He caught the handle protruding from the ground with his shoes, skidding through the pavement to a halt perched atop his sword.

"Mr. Bran…" Olivia started before noticing the red shimmer of his aura, it had collapsed. In an instant Tyrian emerged from the house rushing Qrow's location, the flash of blue betraying that his aura had fallen as well. They were evenly matched it seemed.

Qrow parried his initial strike, as Tyrian swung back around Ruby was there, knocking his follow-up away with Crescent Rose. Ruby pulled the trigger, causing a bullet to fly past, Tyrian's face taking a few strands of hair with it…a live round.

Olivia crept up from behind, swinging her mace down with all her might. As with Nora's hammer, his scorpion tail deflected it, though his shoulder was singed by the resulting explosion. She fell back and reconverted to a rifle.

Tyrian laughed at Ruby's sudden inclusion to the battle, clearly not seeing her or Olivia as a credible threat. "Do you wish to be taken?"

"No," Ruby replied with conviction though sweat was running down her face and her hands shook. "But I will not stand by as someone gets hurt!" With that last word she rushed forward, Qrow close behind.

Qrow and his niece swung their respective weapons from both sides, forcing Tyrian to use each of his wrist blades to catch them. Olivia kneeled and fired several precision rounds towards the faunus' legs in an attempt to cripple him. To her growing frustration despite his aura having fallen, his tail deflected each shot with little effort. His reaction time was insane.

Tyrian spun, kicking Qrow away as he clashed with Ruby, his first blow easily parrying her scythe to the side, his second brought forward to finish her off. Qrow jumped between them, blocking his follow-up swing and protecting his niece.

"Ruby!" He shouted, his voice full of concern and strain. "I thought you were done fighting! Get back!"

"This is my fight too, I won't just hang back scared!" Ruby glared daggers at Tyrian as she ran around, swinging low to take his legs out from under him. The agile fighter easily jumped over her attack while still clashing with her uncle.

"No, it's not that…it's…" Qrow started but did not get a chance to finish. Tyrian bounded off the veteran Huntsman's sword towards Ruby, catching her in the chest and driving her backwards.

Ruby slammed into the wall of the building behind them, shaking it off she prepared herself for his attack…unaware that her impact had dislodged a beam above her head, bringing it down atop her.

Her uncle was faster; blasting past Tyrian he cleaved the beam in two, both halves narrowly missing Ruby by the smallest of margins. Ruby and Qrow shared a heartfelt smile at his timely rescue.

"Mr. Branwen, look out!" Olivia cried, eyes darkening as her smile lit up. While the two were briefly distracted the crazed faunus' tail had lashed out, headed directly for him. Thinking fast, the girl reconverted her mace and swung, catching his tail before it reached him and deflecting it using the force of the explosion. Tyrian turned and caught a glimpse of her eyes in that instant, not even upset at his failed strike.

"Ravishing," he licked his lips. Unexpectedly, the tail twisted mid-parry, its stinger lashing out at a new target…

 **Across the Square…**

A scream of pain echoed from the other side of the courtyard drawing their attention.

The tip of Tyrian's stinger had lodged itself in Ruby's shoulder, his eyes glowing purple with glee as his poison coursed through her. His giggling laughter of victory quickly turned to pained screams as Ruby raised Crescent Rose and with a single weak pull of the trigger severed his tail just below the stinger.

"YOU BITCH!" Tyrian roared, his appendage thrashing about randomly in extreme pain spraying its purple poisoned liquid in spurts. With a final burst of strength, what was left of his tail caught the poisoned huntress in the chest, sending her soaring back across the village and through a nearby building.

Ember realized the building Ruby had crashed through was close. Ignoring Jaune, he rushed to the hole in the rubble, spotting the unconscious huntress with blood running down her face, her shoulder discoloring purple fast. Tyrian was still scurrying about despite his pain, keeping Qrow and Olivia from rushing to her.

 _She won't last long._ He was so locked on her form, his mind conflicted that he did not notice the movement out of the corner of his eye until it was too late.

Nora slammed Magnhild with all the force she could muster into the side of Ember's head. The knight staggered only a little, the true damage being to his helmet as the left half shattered into a thousand pieces having been weakened by Ren's attack and Olivia's previous barrage. She ceased her assault upon seeing Ruby, her face contorting with fear.

Ember brought an armored glove up immediately to shield the left side of his face. A single line of blood dripped down his cheek from a shard of metal that had slowly cut across it by sheer luck with just insufficient force for him to protect against it. His visage remained covered; Nora could only see a few tufts of unruly dark brown hair and blood flowing around the gauntlet.

"So you aren't invincible," she remarked, panting in frustration that her best swing had failed not once, but twice that day and barely scratched him.

"She won't survive without me now," Ember half-threatened. "Tyrian's poison is quite potent, but I can save her."

 _Please don't make me push the issue!_

"You are going to save her…NOW!" Nora threatened, converting Magnihild into its grenade launcher form.

"I'm sorry," he whispered so softly he didn't know if they heard him.

Aiming his gunlance towards Jaune he fired. The cannonball landed a few feet to his left, the explosion's shockwave impacting his armor, sending him skidding across the battlefield once again. Almost missed by Nora, Ember struck the side of his weapon harshly as if to make sure it was still functioning. That completed, he took aim towards the unconscious Ren in the distance.

"NO!" It was too late as the armored knight pulled the trigger.

Nora thought fast, switching back to her hammer she stood atop the head before he fired. As she had done back at the breach, she fired the grenades within to propel her at great speeds to chase after the projectile heading for her childhood friend. Even as fast as she was, she couldn't overtake it quickly enough; at best she could shield Ren from the blast.

With a final kick, she sprang ahead; Ember had overshot him so the cannonball would explode a bit behind him. She crouched down, ready to take the hit and ensure Ren wouldn't…

The cannonball clanged off the stone streets, surprising Nora as no explosion accompanied it. The defective explosive just kept rolling until it disappeared into the brush in the distance.

 _A dud?_ She looked over the area, certain there must be a trick. Yet even after waiting, there was no sign of a delayed detonation and even if it did, it was now sufficiently far to prevent injury. Only then did she realize what had happened. He had drawn her away, Ren was down, Jaune was down and Qrow with Olivia were chasing off the creepy scorpion across the square who had started a hasty retreat. She had been the only thing protecting…

"Ruby!" Nora rushed back to the building but could see before arriving she was too late.

The crater of beams and debris within the broken structure was empty. Ruby was gone with only Crescent Rose having been left behind. There was no sign of the knight or hyperactive huntress anywhere. Despite the short amount of time that had passed since she looked away, they were nowhere to be found.

As Nora looked about for any sign of where they might have gone, Qrow approached from behind, panting from the intense battle while Olivia rushed to look over Jaune and Ren.

"Wh-where is she?" He asked, eyes widening at what the terrified expression on Nora's face meant. "WHERE IS RUBY?"

 **The heiress to the Schnee Dust Corporation sees the uncaring and cold world she was born into brought forth as RNJRR loses one of their own. Will they be able to track down the Knight of Cinders before he absconds with their friend to the realm of the mysterious master in black? As always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	8. Pursuits in the Dark

**Ashsoei: Ember has taken her…so how will it affect Horatio… ;)**

 **Eytan: I am so glad you liked it so much! Thank you :D**

 **Lelouch of Zero: At least she was able to muster the will to fight some to help her Uncle. I am glad you liked the design. The idea was the most iconic knight weapon there is…**

 **Azrae1: Indeed, she was tricked into leaving Ruby alone, fortunately the shot was a dud…**

 **And with that…ONTO THE SHOW!**

"How could you just leave her?" Qrow screamed as he searched the obvious paths. Despite Ember's considerable size in the armor he saw no obvious tracks. There were no broken branches, smell to go by or even an obvious nearby route. He was simply gone.

"I-I," Nora started, feeling her blood turn to ice at the realization that Ruby had been taken. She couldn't come up with an answer. "He said he could help her poison and I…I hesitated…"

"Get the others up and start looking!" He ordered as the grizzled huntsman started a running leap out of the village.

To Nora and Olivia's amazement, Ruby's uncle suddenly vanished to be replaced by a black crow with red eyes. The transformed avian took flight after his only lead, the fleeing scorpion faunus as he kept watch on the area as far as he could see. With the thick tree cover, he could not see nearly as much as he wished.

"He…did he just...?" Nora looked amazed. No semblance known could completely change a person's appearance and shape like that.

Olivia wasn't listening, instead helping Ren to his feet while Jaune stumbled over, somehow his aura had lasted albeit barely. They had more to worry about than the old man's magic trick.

 _ **Well that was embarrassing.**_

"Shut up," she growled, only Ren realizing who she was talking to. "We have to get up, get out there and…"

 _ **Wander aimlessly in the woods? Even if you split up could any one of you even do anything about it if you ran across him at random?**_

 _We can't just sit here and do nothing._

 _ **Never said we should, but you need to think…carefully.**_

Olivia breathed in and out, finally letting herself calm down. Actually listening to the dark voice in her head, she started thinking out all they knew as fast as she could.

"He can't be going too far," she said aloud for everyone to hear. "Ruby was poisoned, badly. If he wanted her dead he could have just left her and run. That means he has to stop at some point to administer aid."

"But he could do that anywhere," Jaune pointed out. Even with more people it could take days to search everywhere."

"We'll need to pick the most likely places and start from there," Ren offered. If Mr. Branwen…flew off the way we came, we must look forward."

 _ **And unless you have the luck of fairy tales you'll never pick right. Come on boss, let me breathe again just a little.**_

Olivia bit her tongue as she fell to her knees, propping herself up into a meditative pose. She hadn't tried it since tracking Horatio down on Merlot's island, but it was their only option. She focused intently, Ren keeping the others from interrupting her with questions. She opened her powers just a touch, reaching out for the familiar bubbly feeling of Ruby…

"That way!" She pointed off towards the mountain.

"But how do you know?" Nora asked.

"Long story," she quickly answered. It would take time to explain how she could sense distant thoughts of people she knew. Thankfully Ruby wasn't too far to prevent feeling her basic direction. "I'll explain on the way, but we need to hurry! Can you walk?"

"I have to," Ren agreed to a nodding Jaune. Nora was ever the boundless well of energy. "Lead the way; we will keep pace as best we can."

Olivia did not need told twice, bounding into the trees with the others following her. As long as they didn't get too far she could keep tabs on them, he wouldn't get away.

 _ **See boss, these "unsavory" powers you have can be turned to good, give me a few hours at the reigns and you wouldn't believe what we are capable of.**_

 **Atlas…**

"Unbelievable!" Jacques repeated for the dozenth time pacing in Weiss' room as his daughter sat on her bed watching him out of the corner of her eye with her head downturned as was expected. "Absolutely unbelievable! Do you have any idea what your stunt cost us?"

"I-"

"And don't think I'm talking about lien here!" He interrupted with a finger shoved in her face, his previous question rhetorical though he wouldn't have cared to hear her answer anyway. "Our reputation! Our…our…" He couldn't even finish his statement, the head of the Schnee Dust Company just sighed heavily with a hand on the back of his head as if the thoughts brought him discomfort.

 _He never cared even the slightest about what happened at Beacon, just another means to make himself look better. How could I ever think he could change?_

At those thoughts, the words of both Penny and Flynt came back to her mind. She couldn't do anything here, fundraisers and kind words over the turmoil happening elsewhere…that is all she would accomplish in that place. In that moment, her mind was made up.

"I want to leave."

"I beg your pardon?" Jacques snapped out of his self-pitying at the unexpected words of his daughter.

"I said," Weiss repeated as she finally raised her head high to look him in the eyes. "I want to leave! I don't want to stay here anymore; I don't want to stay in Atlas anymore!"

"Young lady, I don't give a damn about what YOU want! This isn't about you! This is about the Schnee family name and your apparent insistence on dragging it through the mud!"

 _How dare you!_ She thought as the frustration from the party returned in full force. _With how the world already thinks of our family, you did that long ago!_

"I have done NOTHING but fight to uphold the honor of MY family name!" Weiss stood from the bed, taking a step towards her father until they were as close as possible despite the height disparity. "A name that YOU married into!"

Jacques' face contorted in anger at her defiance; in a flash he raised his open-palm high…

A loud knock interrupted him mid-swing, the door sliding open a crack and forcing the man to lower his intended slap to hide his intentions…but Weiss saw what he had planned, her eyes widened in shock.

"Klein," Jacques narrowed on his head butler with cold eyes. "I said NO interruptions…"

"Unless they were business related sir, and they are. Mr. Coal has a business proposal that he INSISTS must be…"

"Just…" Jacques sighed again clearly frustrated. "Just give him a room in the guest wing until I can meet with him. Inform the man that my daughter is unwell and needs my full attention. I've spoken to him before and…"

"My apologies sir, but the head of the Dust Coalition was forced to depart for some trouble at their head office. He has left his son to finalize discussions in his stead."

 _Flynt?_

"Then give HIM the guest quarters," Jacques rushed to remove his butler from the room.

Klein's face met Weiss', seeing the aftermath of her realization at how unchanged and uncaring her father had remained since she left for Beacon. She looked so defeated, was it not for his duties as a butler…

"At once," he acquiesced. "Would the Ms. Schnee require any refresh…"

"She will not," he silenced the gentleman's attempts at raising her mood. "Leave us."

Klein nodded without a word, throwing a heart wrenching apologetic gaze to Weiss before slowly closing the door.

"Your recent behavior has been QUITE unacceptable," he continued once they were alone again, straightening his tie. "You have no idea the lengths I've gone to in order to keep this family where it is. If you think running off like your sister is going to make the Schnee name stronger, you're wrong. Siding with her only divides us."

"I'm not SIDING with anyone, I'm doing what I feel is right and that does not include wasting my time up here with these clueless people in Atlas." Jacques turned to pace the room, clearly rolling his eyes at her words as he did. "The Schnee family legacy isn't yours to leave…it's mine, and I'll do it as a huntress."

There was a moment of silence as her father breathed in deep again, spinning with a renewed look of somber determination.

"No, you won't. You are not leaving Atlas or the manor grounds unless I specifically allow it." He advanced on her in the slow, threatening pace he had mastered over the years in an attempt to intimidate her. "You are going to remain here out of sight and out of trouble until you and I come to an…agreement on your future."

"What?" Weiss' strong expression collapsed at his words.

"Your presumption that you can simply have whatever you want is a clear sign of our failure as parents. But from now on I'll be giving you the FULL attention you require, starting by keeping you where I can see you."

"You…you can't just keep me from leaving!"

"I can, and the staff here will make sure of it."

"So now I'm just your prisoner?" It had always been that way to an extent before she left for Beacon, but now her father had just dropped all pretense to the contrary.

"You are my daughter," he replied as if it was the most normal conversation in the world. "You're a child, and children are grounded when they misbehave. I believe it is also customary to take away one's toys as well during such a time."

Only then did Weiss realize the suitcase containing her weapon Myrtenaster was not on her dresser where she kept it. Glancing around the room almost frantically she could not locate it in any of the obvious places. He must have had it removed before they returned from the party.

"That…that was mine!" She stepped forward, daring to go on the offensive at such an action. Unfortunately, Jacques did not budge. "I made it, I…"

"You designed it," he corrected. "If memory serves, I believe it was made using Schnee company resources, that makes it an asset of the company. Do not worry, once we come to our agreement you may have it back."

"This…this is only going to make this worse father!" Weiss was fuming, pointing out every detrimental effect his actions would have. "People are going to ask questions, want to know why the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company is suddenly nowhere to be found!"

"Which is why you are no longer the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

Weiss looked on as her heart dropped into her stomach at those words and only managed to sink lower as he explained his plans for the future that wouldn't involve her at the head of the company. Instead the name would be continued by the one person as indistinguishable from her father as possible…her younger brother Whitley.

 **Menagerie…**

"I still feel awful," Kali Belladonna asserted once more. "What things must have been like without anyone knowing your secret. Oh how you and Blake could have been such friends growing up."

"You shouldn't Mrs. Belladonna," Esmerelda tried to placate her guilt. "It wasn't you that made my grandmother worry so much. The tea is delicious by the way."

"Please, call me Kali."

The two were sharing a meal with Sun for the evening. Ghira had withdrawn to his study to go over the new information involving Adam Taurus and his wayward followers performing attacks around the world. They had been quite troubling as the splinter group was more ruthless than even Sienna's worst tactics. Blake had stepped out and none knew where she'd withdrawn to. Kali seemingly had heard no word of her daughter since she fled and was eager for any information they could give. Sun couldn't stop regaling her with tales of team RWBY during their year at Beacon before the fall.

"Ezzy here even helped out your daughter and I once Mrs. B," Sun continued his tale. Fought some White Fang bad guys the first day I met them."

"I wish we had known about these attacks for certain beforehand," the motherly faunus looked truly concerned despite the fact they clearly made it through the event unscathed.

The cheerful monkey-faunus had gotten off on a poor foot with Blake's father Ghira, complimenting her 'moves' without specifying what kind. It was clear that the imposing older man didn't like him, though Kali felt otherwise. If only he knew how much the young man had been trying to help Blake and her turmoil. They lost track of time to the point the moon was already rising outside, Ezzy stood to bid farewell.

"So soon?" Kali asked with a disappointed look, her ears shirking down. "At least let one of our guardsmen escort you to Odette's."

"Thank you, but I remember the way," she smiled back at the kind woman. "Perhaps I could visit again tomorrow."

 _If I get a chance._

"Of course, our doors are always open. Please think of this house as a second home."

"Ezzy!" Sun caught up to her closer to the door. "Be careful out there."

"I'll be fine Sun; it's not far to…"

"Seriously," Sun asserted, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Blake mentioned earlier that White Fang members in Menagerie don't wear masks but I saw one during our scuffle with those jerks at the docks."

Esmerelda perked up her ears. "Did you notice anything else?"

"Small build, would guess a girl based on the hair…nothing else really. She disappeared into the crowd when she caught me looking. Maybe you should stay here tonight."

"If I see anything dangerous I'll come back," she assured him. "I left my bag at my grandmother's. We did sort of just rush out on her."

"Fine," the monkey-faunus slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I'm going to find Blake; she needs to know about this too."

"If…I may ask," Ezzy could not resist asking. "Why DID you follow Blake? Was it really just on the off chance she was going to fight the White Fang?" Her gaze drilled into Sun's, a minor threat if he wanted to hide the truth.

"That obvious huh?" He chuckled like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"You and Roland have that in common…you're terrible liars."

 _So was Horatio…_

"Blake," he started, trying to choose his words carefully. "She has a lot on her shoulders ya know? Seems to think that because she helped out the White Fang for a few years that she is responsible for stopping them. She just needs a friend to help her out…be there when she needs it the most."

"I'm just a friend," Esmerelda pointed out. "Are you as well?"

Sun just threw his arms up in the air as if in defeat. "I have to be, it'd be pretty tactless for me to try and be anything else while she's healing."

 _He IS sharper than he lets on…hopefully she notices that too._

 **Later…**

Esmerelda slipped into her old home, based on the silence her grandmother had already gone to bed. Thankfully she'd left her bag sitting untouched on the seat where Esmerelda had left it. She quickly retrieved it to be safe while deciding it would be best not to wake her and apologize in the morning, with any luck her old room hadn't been turned into storage.

To her shock, as the door slid open, she realized that had been far from the case. There was no bed, a change for the best as she doubted she could squeeze into the one she'd slept in at age ten, but the rest was untouched. She poked at a lone wooden soldier, the paint chipped away and flaking with age. Beneath it, dressers formerly filled with her clothes were still in place; her books on modern legends were still on the shelf. Without thinking she pulled on her favorite, blowing off a generous layer of dust.

'Man Up with Port: How to Survive in the Wilds of Remnant,' the young girl must have read it a hundred times. She flipped through a few pages while contemplating Sun and Blake's presence on the island.

 _He's helping her come to terms…but with what? She ran off after the battle without a word despite the state of her team. No one knew where she had gone. Was it simply to run away? Sun thinks she feels responsible for the White Fang, yet she goes out of her way to avoid them. Would Blake really do that? Was it to get away from those she cares about so they wouldn't get hurt like Yang? If so then why come home…her parents were kind people and she surely loves them too._ It wasn't adding up. _I should have told them…_

"Hi Esmé."

Esmerelda dropped her bag, spinning around with a hand on the hilt of her weapon. She had been so distracted she hadn't spotted a shape obscured in the shadows near the window. He stood tall, any details of the intruder obscured, yet the use of that name removed any doubt as to their identity once her moment of shock had passed.

"Yummy?"

The shape moved into the moonlight, revealing a young man in a full black body suit though the sleeves were cut short for the warm climate. He had spiky brown hair that went down to his neck with a tuft at his chin as a short goatee. Slowly, a pair of black bat wings matching his attire unfolded though it was a natural movement and nothing nefarious.

"Think I'm a little old for that name," he answered with a relaxed expression. "I…heard you were around."

"Yuma…" Esmerelda stepped forward as he did the same, meeting in the middle of the room with a powerful embrace. "I didn't know if you'd still be here, it's been so many years…"

 **Years Earlier…**

Esmerelda finished setting up the new soldiers for their 'battalion,' unlike the sticks and rocks from when she'd been little; they were now adequately-made wood figurines. Yuma was skilled with his hands. The hidden area behind the crawlspace had grown over the last five years since she'd met the young boy who stumbled on her place of solitude. In addition to full platoons of wooden soldiers, they had transformed their sanctuary into a base of operations. Surely with their combined cunning and resources they could repel any assault, or at least such were the thoughts running through an eleven-year old's mind.

Yuma had been true to his word, since their first meeting he only ever come alone when she was able to get away. The two ruled as the commanders of their troops, sending them off on dangerous missions from which they were always victorious thanks to their fool-proof strategies. For those years, she almost felt normal despite continuing to be homeschooled and watched over like a hawk by her caring yet overly suspicious grandmother. At long last, she had a true friend, someone with whom she could feel...normal. They'd even made nicknames for each other

And one day that all came crashing down.

Esmerelda stood up as she surveyed her work; their forces were ready for their next outing. Perhaps they would be assaulting a warlord's stronghold or the castle of the Grimm Queen keeping the world under her heel…

Esmerelda turned as she heard the loose beams slide open, Yuma must have finally arrived, she had wondered why he was so late. The young boy had gotten taller over the years yet always retained his love of dark colors, even his wings had grown in though he was far from being able to fly on his own and the tufts of what could one day become a beard had grown in. Despite her joy at his arrival, the young girl's blood turned to ice as she beheld him. Yuma was covered in bruises, his lip swollen and blood running down his mouth. He was panting heavily as if he'd been sprinting all the way while his eyes were wide in terror.

"You have to go NOW!"

"Yuma, what happened to…?"

"They'll be here any second, please just go!"

He rushed forward, throwing to her the form-obscuring hoodie and gripping her wrist, pulling his friend towards their back exit they had excavated years ago yet rarely used. He held her arm so tightly it hurt. Esmerelda barely had time to grab one of the wooden soldiers tight in her fist.

"Let me look at those, we have some bandages over by…"

"No time, please, he'll be here any minute!" A loud bang echoed from the entrance, Yuma had wedged it shut on his way in but it wouldn't hold long. "I…had an argument with dad," Yuma admitted as they moved to open the rear exit. "He'd a bit too much in the morning and went on one of his rants."

Yuma had admitted to her the previous summer how his father would get when he drank too much. How he'd blame everything on humans from their current state to his wife's weakening health from the move to Menagerie, the same that claimed her life giving birth to her son. She had guessed his father had done more than simply rant, yet never before had she seen Yuma in such a state. He groaned with every movement from the pain of his injuries.

"I just couldn't take it anymore, I argued back and things got heated. He said there were no examples of humans being anything other than monsters and I…I said I had proof he was wrong."

 _Oh no, you didn't._

"I thought, if he just met you, see how kind and sweet you are that he might see humans differently. I was so wrong, I'm sorry Esmé."

Another pounding blow on the door as it bent inward.

"I beat him here, but he and a few of his buddies are looking for you. Don't worry; he flipped out before I could give your name or anything. Once you are clear you should be safe."

"Come with me!" Esmerelda grabbed his arm in-turn. "We can both get out!"

"No," the fledgling bat-faunus refuted. "I'll just draw him right to you. You go; I'll keep him busy here long enough for you to get home."

"Yum…"

Yuma ducked in, planting his lips on hers. It was clumsy and quick as he had thought of it yet never attempted. With how things were looking it was his last chance he saw so he took it. At last he shoved her through the tube, barricading it from the inside with a heavy log that blended into the wall.

Esmerelda could only hear the rest echo through the pipe leading out beyond the abandoned complex. She heard Yuma's assertions that no one else was there in such a way it sounded like he was hiding her in the very room. She sniffled back tears as she heard the smack of flesh on flesh as he punished his son for hiding the human girl. Her tears didn't dry all the way home still clutching the wooden soldier.

Her grandmother learned everything when she arrived; finding Esmerelda hiding under her bed, face flushed and puffy. Her secret rendezvous, Yuma's friendship and what had happened that day. She would have found it out regardless as Yuma's father had been quite vocal on the presence of humans on the island. Despite no proof, he had rallied a mob bent on searching the city for her. Where there was one human, others were surely close by. Odette never blamed her granddaughter, only herself for her choice in husband though she'd loved him dearly. She resolved that it was no longer safe for Esmerelda, not only for protection from the mob, but for how much she'd gotten away with under her very nose. She knew full well she could never keep her hidden for long.

A few favors, the cover of night and a pack to make it look like she had a pair of swan wings of her own. That was all it had taken to book passage for Esmerelda to the mainland. Huntsman training academies took everyone who was willing to fight the Grimm and her little cygnet had voiced an interest in joining their order someday more than once.

And thus it was Esmerelda set sail as the mob, against the orders of their Chieftain started scouring the city, torches in hand. Their search would be in vain, as Odette was long gone with her granddaughter aboard the ship to Vale…to the training academy know as Bastion.

 **Present Day…**

"Why are you here?" The huntress of team HERO asked as she pulled away from the hug with her old friend. She couldn't help but notice Yuma looked more ragged than he had as a boy, like he hadn't been sleeping well. It almost made him look older than he was.

"I…heard you were back in town," he murmured. "Why are you here? I didn't think you'd ever return."

"With the fall of Beacon and the Grimm spreading…" she hesitated to choose her words. "I wanted to check on my grandmother, I am surprised you remained, I thought you hated it on the island."

"I did, if it weren't for Trifa I probably would have left long ago. She helped out after my dad…well," he sighed heavily. "That doesn't matter right now. It's so good to have you ba…"

Yuma had knelt to pick up Esmerelda's bag she had dropped in surprise at seeing him but suddenly froze in his tracks. The contents had spilled out from the fall including her scroll, toiletries and other supplies such as spare clothes….and her Atlas Specialist uniform.

"Yuma…" Esmerelda started, watching the anger practically seep onto his face. "It's not what you think, I'm helping to…"

"Shut…up," he whispered low and harshly. With a single frustrated blow, he punched the floor, denting the wooden beams. "I-I actually felt bad, that I had betrayed you…that I gave them your name…"

"What?"

"But you…you joined THEM? The kingdom most known for treating our people like animals!" Esmerelda grew afraid as a twisted, almost sadistic smile spread across his features for a moment merging with the anger. She had never seen such a foul look on him before.

 _What happened to you?_

"Yuma, please, I don't do that. The Grimm are the threat, we are fighting them after the Vytal Festival! I would never…"

"WHY did you come back here?" Her silence told him all he needed, she was hiding something. His wings unfolded, forcing the Specialist-in training to dive and avoid being struck by them. With an apt roll she had her weapon ready yet refused to draw it.

 _Not against him..._

"Please Yuma!" She begged again. "Don't make me do this!"

"It's already done," he threatened, advancing on her in a sudden motion.

Before the bat-faunus could reach her, a flash of light caught him in the side, blasting him into the wall harshly as his aura took the brunt yet held. Odette Mustra was standing at the entrance to the room silhouetted by the hallway light. She was wearing a white nightgown and slippers, her cane tilted upward still smoking from the hidden barrel at the bottom. She had a pair of thick reading glasses, her eyes narrowed towards Yuma.

"In my day it was customary to meet the family before rendezvousing at night," she cocked the weapon again threateningly. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Yuma growled, turning he dashed for the window, narrowly avoiding a second shotgun shell from the angry swan. In a flash he dove through it, disappearing into the night.

"Come back!" Esmerelda shouted, jumping up on the window sill to give chase. "Thank you nana but that was Yuma! I have to talk to him!" With that last word she followed behind and was gone.

Odette rushed forward but was too late; her granddaughter had vanished from sight with no sign of where she had disappeared to. When in need, the two were experts at stealth.

"There goes my peaceful retirement," the aging woman grumbled as she tightened the sash around her waist. Quickly she hurried inside to get dressed, the night air was quite chilly, how her granddaughter could wear such a revealing outfit in it was beyond her.

 **Deep in the Forests of Anima…**

The knight in black armor kneeled down; he hadn't seen any sign of pursuit and hoped for a few minutes to work. He had been running non-stop since the battle and wasn't quite as far as he wished to be, but had no choice, if he was interrupted she wouldn't last. Since fleeing the village he had kept under tree cover every step of the way, even using his semblance to cancel out much of the kinetic force of his footsteps to both prevent prints and muffle sound. He could then convert it into energy to keep going, if Qrow Branwen missed him, or better yet went after Tyrian who was oblivious of his success; it would buy time and distance while tiring out the auraless huntsman.

Ruby was laid out flat on the ground sweating profusely, he had shredded the top of her outfit to reveal her bare shoulder still turning a putrid purple where the stinger had punctured her skin.

"Don't you dare die Ruby," Ember commanded despite no chance of her hearing him. "I swore no one else around me is going to die and I meant it!"

He reached into his pouch, pulling out the second item that the love of his life had gifted him before his departure. It was a vial filled with a golden liquid, the only anti-venom that gave Tyrian's poison some pause. The insane faunus had been unaware, but his stinger was one of the most dangerous weapons against Ember as it required very little pressure to puncture skin. Cinder realized it could bypass the Guardian's semblance and thus had thought ahead to ensure his protection, acquiring the precious liquid for his travels.

I d _oubt she imagined I'd be using it on Ruby…or that she'll be very pleased if she finds out._

With an accompanying syringe, he injected the contents into the point of entry of the stinger. His old classmate had a small body, even with it there was no guarantee she could outlast the venom, he'd have to find someplace they could lay low until the worst of it passed. She'd be weak for days, more than enough time to get to an airship back to Salem's domain. Quickly, he looked over the map he had of the region.

 _With Shion village destroyed the nearest airship will be closer to Haven. Maybe there is somewhere around the mountain I can…_

Ruby groaned, causing him to jump in worry that she had awoken, thankfully it seemed that she was tossing and turning randomly, no doubt from bad dreams the fever likely brought out.

"I-sorry," she groaned. "Don't hate me…"

Ember's stoic shell cracked like an egg at those words, he just slumped to his knees, half wishing she could hear him.

"…I couldn't Ruby; I'm the one you should hate."

 **Months Ago…**

The familiar double knocks signaled Horatio announcing his desire to enter. Cinder took a nearby oak cane they had provided her and slammed it once on the ground, he could come in.

"More reading material," he announced, hefting in another stack of books. Since the fall of Beacon, the school was completely under the control of Salem's forces. As a result, they had been moving his belongings to the Keep little by little. Seeing as Horatio rarely slept in his own room, he was quickly filling up the bookshelf in Cinder's with his personal collection. He also used the opportunity to preserve as much of his team's belongings as he could by claiming they were his.

 _If she sees Roland's figurines I may need to have an excuse ready, I wonder if she'd believe me if I said it was a hobby..._

Horatio's appearance had changed in the time since arriving at the intimidating keep, having let his normally buzzed short brown hair grow out and it was starting to become unruly. He had spent so much time away from his room that he had neglected himself and now sported a rather impressive beard though it was still growing in certain places. He didn't mind it too much but had yet to ask Cinder's opinion on it.

The room was finally showing some life, it had been near empty when Cinder was first moved in and Horatio worked to quickly rectify that oversight. The Bookshelf was now about half full and he previously moved it closer to the bed for easier access. A world map of Remnant was placed along the wall over the headboard. No plants could flourish in Salem's domain without the sun so the only option he had were a few fake ferns that once decorated Beacon's halls. The false foliage was nothing special but served their purpose.

Cinder looked up from her bed, closing the book she had been reading on the genealogy of Remnant's Kings and Empresses. He didn't see how she could actually enjoy such a dull read but they kept her sane he supposed. She still could not speak, but her strength was returning, enough at least he was sure she could give him a good caning if she cared to. Thankfully she never did, instead allowing herself a soft welcoming smile for half a heartbeat as he came in.

"I found something you might like," from behind the door he produced a portrait, turning it so that Cinder could see it.

He had been ecstatic to discover his team portrait of her and the others had survived the battle, the frame was scorched somewhat but otherwise untouched. He had yet to locate the personal painting he'd done for her by the cliffside in the supplies brought from Beacon. Cinder hesitantly accepted the gift, looking it up and down. Horatio did not notice the stump of her left arm raise slightly, attempting to feel the side of her face before remembering it was no longer there.

"I can replace the frame; I only made the one copy so Mercury and Emerald will need to go without…"

Cinder turned, shaking her at his offer, she wanted it as it was. Carefully she placed it on the nearby desk turned slightly just enough so she could see it.

"I could…make another one of you if you wanted," he started hesitantly. "They brought in most of my art supplies last week, maybe…"

A chill breeze passed through the room causing Horatio's muscles to tense up. He had been in the keep long enough to know what that meant. He inhaled deeply, mentally preparing himself.

 _She is here…_

"How is our Fall Maiden doing today?" Salem asked, having seemingly materialized in the doorway.

"She is recovering well," he reported, standing to his full height like a soldier. "I do not believe she should yet be placed under any undue strain, but she is improving."

"Watts said the same."

Salem glided into the room, her gaze ran over all of the additions with a look of dull amusement, scrutinizing all until she saw the portrait now resting on the desk. Horatio immediately regretted having brought it in.

"Such a beauty you were," she mused out loud, picking it up and stroking Cinder's image softly. "So much taken by that girl with the silver eyes…"

 _Don't listen to her Cinder,_ he screamed in his head yet dared say nothing out loud. _Don't let the hate fester, it will eat you from the inside out. Was this how Salem talked to her before she went to Beacon?_

"Her beauty was untarnished by the battle your Grace," Horatio proclaimed in absolute honesty. "A diamond cut into a different shape is still a diamond." Even Cinder had to restrain herself from gagging at that line, genuine though the meaning may be.

"Of course, and you, loyal Guardian," Salem set the portrait down and turned her attention to him. "You have tended to her so faithfully these many weeks despite your previous allegiances. Ask anything of me, if I can grant it I shall."

 _Call off your war on Remnant? Let Cinder and I leave for good without repercussions?_ He doubted any of his true requests would be honored. He hoped to duck the question and remain as vague as possible.

"I only wish to be able to serve further…"

"You WILL serve further," Salem's red eyes grew brighter for an instant as her stern voice burned through him. "That is no reward, ask…and you shall receive."

Horatio glanced over to Cinder, her look equally nervous while awaiting his answer. Finally settling on something he opened his mouth.

"Well, Dr. Watts feels Cinder may be able to stand in a few days. Fresh air always does a person good for healing. Perhaps we may be given leave to walk the grounds when that time comes?"

 _As close as this place can have to 'fresh air.'_

Salem pondered his request, her eyes still looking into him; he knew he would never get used to it. "Done," she replied at last with a thin smile. "From this day forth, I shall ensure none of my Grimm do you harm outside these walls while still within my domain."

"Thank you, your Grace," he replied, bowing low before her.

"Your heart is still soft," Salem whispered as she moved past him to leave. "As it stands you are but embers playing house trailing behind an inferno. If you wish to truly stand by her side in all things, harden your soul for what is to come. After Cinder can fend for herself…you shall join me."

Horatio had no words of retort as Salem left the room, warmth finally returning.

"Would…that be ok?" He finally asked, realizing he had not approached Cinder about traveling outside the walls before.

Cinder looked down at her lap, her fist noticeably clenching and face contorting into a scowl for a moment, however with a headshake she looked up, the slightest hint of a smile now in place. She nodded, sliding her hand up and down her own chin and mouth while glaring at him, her message all too clear.

You need a shave.

 **Present Day…**

Guilt shot through Ember but he pushed away Ruby's words as best he could upon returning to the map, looking for the nearest town s he worked to bandage the still-bleeding cut on his face from Nora's swing. His eyes shot wide as he saw the name 'Kuroyuri' was still listed, perhaps the map was outdated. The name rolled around in his mind, he hadn't heard it in years. That damned village, the same place…

 _The same place dad died, why would that be the closest of all places?_

Folding up the map he strengthened his resolve, the buildings should still be standing and he could hunker down inside until Ruby was no longer at deaths door…if she could fight it of course. He picked up the beaten huntress carefully, carrying her as one would a bride while silently praying Cinder would never know. The thought of his Maiden brought a terrifying question to darken his thoughts.

 _What if she hasn't changed her mind, what would I be taking Ruby to? She needs to face Ruby to move past that night…but how will she handle seeing the woman responsible for taking her arm and eye, and most of all...her unshakable confidence?_

 **Cinder's knight heads for a town that plagued his family for years with his Maiden's target in hand. In Menagerie, Esmerelda grapples with the roots of her past as Sun helps Blake through her own. As Always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	9. Memories of Darkness before the Light

**ahsoei: Never mentioned Horatio being from Kuroyuri…just that his father died there. There are a few illustrations of Horatio and Roland on AzaryaS' DeviantArt account. A Piece depicting Olivia is currently in the works.**

 **Lelouch of Zero: Poor Horatio, he wants to help everyone he cares about, his inability to choose one evil over another tears him in all directions. Thank you again! :D**

 **And with that…ONTO THE SHOW!**

Roland jabbed forward, firing Ember Celica. This time he rotated to fire three chambers at alternating intervals around the gauntlet, it was much harder than Yang made it look. He succeeded as the three rounds blasted forward; decimating the boulder he had dragged into the field near the house. He liked to think he had improved somewhat since Yang had shared the secrets to mastering the right half of her weapon she could no longer use. With a final huff of breath he leaned forward to relax, the gauntlet retracting into the gold bracelet.

"Good show," the familiar sound of the blonde huntress' voice drew his attention and a smile. She made her way over, still wearing the Atlesian prosthetic. More and more she had been treating it as her actual arm, he was pretty sure she only took it off for bed now. "Care for a third round?"

"Please," he raised his hands in a feeble gesture followed by a chuckle. "Between you, Pyrrha and your dad I think I've had enough for one day."

Yang nodded mercifully, remembering the savage beatings he had taken, Roland was no offensive fighter. His tactics expecting there to be a shield protecting him as he fought was evident in his style. He was full of openings that she took FULL advantage of. They both got practice and training; Yang even started improving her holding techniques. It was entertaining to have Roland immobilized beneath her and her father's restrained parental instincts each time she did it.

 _Speaking of openings in his style…_

"You said you wanted to show me something?" Yang asked as he picked himself up, a wide grin on his face as she reminded him.

"Pyrrha wanted to hold off…but I can't wait!"

Wide-eyed and excited, he led her around to the shed, making sure she kept her eyes closed as he guided her inside, squeezing her hands as he did so and bringing a smile to the young girl's face.

"Aaaaand…open!"

Yang complied, eyes squinting to adjust to the darkness of where she and Ruby had both perfected their weapons of choice. A medium-sized round shield sat on the bench still partially under construction but it was obvious the hard part had been done. She recognized a few of the features immediately; it was Roland's no doubt.

"There wasn't enough material to rebuild the missing half," he explained as she looked it over. "So Pyrrha felt that shearing it down into a new shape would work, I had some designs for improvement and she knew EXACTLY how to implement them. I'll be adding an outer section with leftover metal to give it greater surface area. The half-moon opening is to allow me to take pot shots while still…"

Yang was barely listening, realizing that he had redone the paint job across the face of his aegis. Before, the emblem had been a cross painted within flanking laurel wreaths. Now however a radiant, though admittedly mediocrely painted, sun was resting within them.

"Why did you change your family crest?" Yang asked, shocked that he would make alterations to something so important. Roland looked confused before realizing her meaning.

"Oh, nonono, the cross was never my family sigil; it's the laurel wreaths that are important."

The young huntress shrugged her shoulders, not understanding.

"The laurels represent our resolve, our strength to protect what we cherish most." He started to glance away awkwardly as he explained the next part. "What is inside the laurels are what we fight for, the cross was my dad's before he married mom. This…is mine."

"A sun?" Yang could not hide her smile, shaking her head at what kind of man he was. "You already have me you know," she fell back on her comfort zone of jokes. "You don't have to work so hard."

"Hey, if it makes you feel better that was my second choice. I wanted an extravagant gold dragon…but I have no talent for painting."

 _That was all Horatio…_

"Is that a dust generator?" Yang noticed his smile drop at that last remark and worked to change the subject. She recognized a small device half exposed being installed within.

"That…I have been working on," he admitted embarrassed. "I had a plan but it's been problematic. No matter what I do I can't get it working."

"Dust can be pretty unstable, that is why I settled on using ammo in mine rather than full crystals."

"I suppose, I just had this great idea for…"

As he spoke, Roland slapped the surface of the shield hard mostly out of frustration. Unbeknownst to him he had left a small shard of dust in the compartment when last working on it and had forgotten to remove it before leaving. His impact set off the device and detonated the fragment, nothing bigger than a small firework display, but enough to cause an unexpected boom resounding throughout the shed.

"Geez, sorry I…"

To his horror and pounding guilt, Yang's hand had started to shake and eyes widen with a jump back, the sound clearly enough to set off an attack. Roland berated himself over and over internally.

 _I'm a moron! I was too relaxed! I forgot to watch out for that sort of thing! Pyrrha and Tai are inside; I don't want her that terrified for even a second longer!_

Without hesitation, praying he was making the right decision, Roland rushed forward and wrapped her in a secure yet relaxed embrace so she did not feel trapped. In that moment, even though she knew it was him, her instincts all demanded solitude, she raised her new metal fist towards him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he repeated every calming phrase he could think of. "It's just me, Roland. I am here for you; you are at Patch with me, Tai, Pyrrha…"

Yang's fist was about to strike his face, until she suddenly felt a soft sensation. In a bid to calm her down, without thinking he had started stroking her hair, the very same that she would have considered killing if anyone else even touched a single strand. As he continued speaking gently to her, he ran his hands up and down her gold mane still tied into a haphazard ponytail. The touch was so familiar…

 _Just like the day he helped me with my hair to get out of that room, how many people have I allowed to touch it? I could count them on one hand…and how many guys…_

The thoughts seemed to allow her breath to slow, pulse to calm and her vision to clear. All previous instinct to drive him away passed, only leaving a moment of peace. Instead, she unfolded her fist, wrapping it around Roland in a tight embrace refusing to let him go…she couldn't let him go, lest he see the tears rolling down her face if she backed away.

"Maybe," he started with a soft chuckle. "We could get another spar in before dinner."

"I'd like that," was her only reply. Despite their words, neither moved from that spot until the risk of Tai barging in to alert them to the food being ready entered their minds.

 **Menagerie…**

Esmerelda leapt from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of Yuma, he had a considerable lead but she didn't care. She had to reach him, talk to him; surely he would listen to reason..

 _Why would he ever join the White Fang? He despised the way his father acted, what could possibly have…?_

A line caught Esmerelda's leg as she was deep in thought, growing taut in an instant and snapping back. The young huntress was slammed into the ground though was able to drop into a stance on all fours to cushion the impact.

"Who is out…?"

Esmerelda bent backwards as her only reply was a knife hurtling towards her face; the blade passed by so close she felt the wind from it. Watching the weapon, she realized it was attached to another line similar to the one still wrapped around her ankle. That one tugged again, threatening to yank her off her feet. With a quick motion, she drew her naginata, severing the cable and allowing her to parry the knife on its return trip.

"Pity, hoped you'd just be a good girl and let it end fast."

Esmerelda finally caught sight of her assailant, it was a woman with dark grey hair though was clearly rather young, barely older than Ezzy at most. She had a smaller build and was arrayed in the same black attire Yuma had been wearing albeit sleeveless and unzipped just enough to show a bit of cleavage.

 _Is this really the time to show off?_

Esmerelda followed the strands back into the woman's hands where they disappeared within. At first she appeared to be wearing gloves, but upon closer inspection she realized the grey was her hands skin tone with similarly colored veins spreading up her arm, her faunus trait obvious.

 _A spider…_

Esmerelda extended her weapon to a polearm length, generating a pair of clones around her. She could take no chances if she were to pursue Yuma. The spider-girl whipped the knife around her body over and over, bending it around her neck, arms, legs and shoulders, allowing it to twirl in hard to follow, unpredictable paths. She was using her dagger and webbing into a variation of a rope-dart, incredibly hard to master but deadly if successful.

The blade lashed out, forcing Esmerelda to duck as a clone parried it. Impossibly, the rope bent to block her path, somehow wrapping several times around her weapon. Esmerelda pulled back, her clones flying forward yet the woman jumped and twirled between them expertly. Once past them, she twisted to deliver an aerial spin-kick into Esmerelda's head. The force sent her flying to the side and into a wall, the naginata ripped from her hands to clatter to the ground.

 _She's good!_

Spinning her legs, Esmerelda kicked the knife away at the hilt as it flew towards her simultaneously using the momentum to return her to her feet. Her live weapon was down across the field, but she still had the aura clones and created a third for good measure.

"Get out of my way, Yuma…"

"Is with us now, with me and if you want to get to him, you'll have to get through me first."

"Deal," Esmerelda gritted her teeth, a bit of teenage frustration slipping past her military-honed restraint.

She strafed to the side, gripping a glowing purple weapon while advancing, one replica over her shoulder flying forward as the previous had. The mysterious attacker released her web rope, attempting to parry it but Esmerelda's will caused it to recover faster than before. In response, the rope seized the weapon, dragging it to the ground as she spun to lash out.

Esmerelda was in melee range now, slicing clean through the web and causing her clone along with the knife to fall to the ground, but it did not last. A fresh string lashed out from the spider's other hand, retrieving the knife and spinning to wrap around her head. The auburn-haired huntress barely brought a weapon in time to block the knife from slicing her face. It took every ounce of discipline she had mastered to remain focused on the fight while also directing her clones.

"Why…are you doing this?" Esmerelda grunted as the two remained locked in combat, she couldn't get an angle to use her third clone without a risk to hitting herself this close.

"Because Yuma is home with us, you won't be poisoning his mind again like you did as a child."

"*I* poisoned…" Esmerelda's anger reached a boiling point.

The unused naginata faded away, merging with the one in her hand. The previous density matching her own blade started to bend and grow malleable, even the one wrapped within her webs grew limp and freed itself from her grip.

"What?" The girl known as Trifa gasped before Esmerelda elbowed her in the gut, high-kicking to catch her in the chin. After recovering she looked up with shock and awe.

The young huntress in-training had converted her own aura clones into identical copies of her knife and webbing rope. It took far greater concentration due to the unfamiliar weapon design, but her naginata was too predictable, too easy to match against such an exotic weapon. Her face was twisted in a smug grin, one of the few times such a look graced the face of one trained with Atlesian discipline. She released the glowing knife-copy which was dodged aptly, but she had prepared for it. The blade few past, wrapping around her discarded physical polearm. With a flick of her wrist she returned it to her hands now armed with her own blade and copies of Trifa's rope-dart ready to fight.

The spider-faunus renewed her assault, whipping and twirling her rope-knife far more proficiently than before, twisting and bending impossibly to perform attack after attack. Esmerelda was not as skilled with the new instrument, but at her two clones to Trifa's one, she could keep it tied up and busy as she danced in closer. A rope clone wrapped alongside hers like coiling snakes, preventing her from using it in defense. Stepping close, Esmerelda spun, cracking Trifa in the gut as hard as she could with the shaft of her weapon. With a cry, Trifa flew into the nearby shed, cracking the old wood beams as she went through it, her grey-white aura sputtering from the strain.

"Now, you are going to tell me everyt…"

In a flash, Trifa had a line of webbing leading up to the roof, pulling herself up and away. Esmerelda groaned in frustration as she jumped after her, Yuma was long gone and no way to follow, but at least she could pursue her. Between the spider-girl's fast movements and webbing allowing lines between the roofs she was quite fast.

 _The city isn't that big, as long as I can keep her in range I can estimate where she might be heading. The White Fang ARE active here, the General will be…_

"Help, somebody!"

The voice cut through the air, causing the huntress to pause. She would have stopped to help anyone truly in need of aid; however the identity of the voice was unmistakable.

"Blake?"

Following the cry, Esmerelda found her faunus classmate kneeling atop a further roof, hands pressed securely over a bleeding wound in Sun's chest. He had lost consciousness though his features were warped in pain.

"Not again, not again, please hold one."

"What happened?" She asked as she landed gracefully, unwrapping the shawl from around her waist to bind the injury.

"Ezzy! We…I saw a White Fang member. We fought her and Sun…he got hit! We have to get him somewhere safe."

"I faced one too; will your parents' house be safe? They have guard details don't they?"

Blake nodded quickly as she and Esmerelda wrapped one of Sun's muscular around her neck. Blake did the same as they pulled him to his feet.

"It isn't too far from here, let's go. Be careful and hold him steady…just like that."

 **Forest in Anima…**

Olivia collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, the remainder of Team RNJR behind her. They had been running for hours since pursuing Cinder's knight yet had made seemingly no headway against him. No matter how hard they pushed themselves he always stayed ahead somehow. It finally came to the point they had to rest, however briefly.

"Just a…few minutes," even Nora was tired. "Has he deviated at all?"

Olivia shook her head; pointing forward in the direction they were headed. It was almost as if their quarry was not truly trying to throw off pursuit, but was simply moving as fast as possible.

"Is there anything in that direction?" She asked, checking Jackal once more to ensure she would be completely ready once the fight started…if they could catch up. Jaune pulled out their map, trying to judge their direction and location. He was burning up in his armor keeping such a pace, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"The next village is a few days out, the only thing before then in that direction are ruins. The name is scratched out; I guess it was destroyed a while back."

Nora's ears perked up, with their travel through the area she hadn't thought about where they were exactly, though an uneasy suspicion creeped into her mind exacerbated by Ren's terrified expression. The two had been together ever since…

"What is the name of the ruins?" She asked quietly.

"Kuroyuri."

Ren noticeably tensed, the pink Valkyrie knew him too well. He wanted to voice his desire to avoid them at all costs, that she must surely be incorrect…but with Ruby's safety on the line he swallowed his fears and uncertainties.

 _You dummy, of course I don't want to go back either…_

 **Years Ago…**

A young girl ran through the streets of Kuroyuri, a loaf of bread in-hand. She had been ecstatic to have seen so much food thrown out and was quick to seize it, but she'd been too careless, a pair of boys no older than eight had spotted her and were giving chase. Normally she was much faster, better at staying hidden as she had the days since coming across the village, but she was so hungry, so tired. She rounded a corner hoping to lose them.

A third boy was waiting for her while the other two chased, she saw him too late as he reached out to grab the bread in her hands. The girl ducked but lost her footing from the woozy feeling of hunger that blurred her vision and tumbled to the hard ground. The delay gave enough time for the other two to catch up and surround her.

"Hey, where'd you get that bread?" One shouted mockingly as the rest followed his lead.

"I didn't see you pay for it, thief!"

"Ew look it's all moldy!"

As the bullies continued berating her, she spotted a fourth boy in the distance. He had short black hair with a tuft of pink wearing a green robe and white pants looking much more proper than the ones before her. She did not recognize him from any who had accosted her in the past, he looked absolutely terrified as if he'd come across the scene by accident. It looked like he didn't know what to do and was frozen in place as a result of his indecision.

"Did she get it from the trash?"

"Let me see!" One of them reached out towards her only source of food. Snapping back to the children before her, in desperation the street urchin lashed out, chomping down hard on his outstretched fingers.

"OW! She bit me!" He cried out in pain and surprise. In retaliation he shoved her hard, throwing the starving orphan to the ground and sending the bread sliding away.

She didn't care about the kids; she had come to expect it from them around town. Their parents raised them to believe they were superior to the rest of the kingdom, of course they would assume the same of those around them. She did, however care about her next meal, with utter desperation she scrambled after the bread, her heart turning to ice as she realized it had slid next to the heavy boot of an adult.

Looking up, she spotted a tall man wearing a heavy royal blue trench coat with round armored pauldrons on both shoulders and a breastplate under the coat. His pants were dark and thick leading down to steel-toed combat boots. He had lighter brown hair just starting to grey and piercing blue eyes. Across his back was slung an impressive elaborate sword longer than she was tall, his eyes looked gentle yet confused…until they rounded on the hoodlums. He was carrying a white bag filled with various goods and foods as if he'd just come from the market square.

"What is going on here?" He demanded in a commanding voice.

"Just cleaning up the trash," the first boy remarked to the accompaniment of the others. "Having a bit of fun."

The man kneeled down, looking between the girl panting in terror at his sight and the mold-covered bread to the side. He smiled reassuringly as he reached into the bag, producing a fresh loaf baked into the shape of a cat. Tenderly, he broke off a piece and offered it to the girl. She looked at it suspiciously, reaching out ever so slowly…finally snatching it and devouring the chunk in seconds.

"You three should be ashamed!" He turned to the others. "This girl has not had the same blessings as you; it is cruelty befitting a Grimm to wish worse upon her."

"Hey, don't lecture us!" The leader stomped his foot. "My dad pays your salary; if you don't get out of here I'll…"

"You'll tell your father all about how you three were generating enough negative emotions in this girl to draw in a pack of creepers from the surrounding forest?" He snapped, causing the three to pale. "I thought there was an increase in activity this week; shall I report to your parents my professional assertion of what is causing it?"

The three boys scrambled at the threat, turning down a nearby alleyway and beating a hasty retreat. They were gone in a matter of seconds, giving the huntsman time to return to the girl still frozen in fear.

"I am sorry about that," he apologized. "Do you have a home or anyone you know in town?" After letting her frantic breathing subside at his kind words, the girl shook her head slowly. "Where are you from?"

She gave no answer.

"That bread is no good, you can make yourself sick. How about we make a deal instead?"

The girl raised an eyebrow.

"I'll give you this entire loaf," he motioned towards the one he still had in his bag. "But in exchange we find a nice place for you to live in town. There are kind people here, I am sure…"

"What are you doing here?"

Her savior turned as another adult approached. This one looked much sterner with grey-streaked black hair with a matching goatee. His attire was that of a sleeveless green vest over a white long shirt and black pants. He had a hand on the shoulder of the boy she saw from before who had his head lowered in shame at his inability to do anything.

"Li! Just setting a few of the other youngsters straight." He approached the archer and embraced him in a hug between comrades. "I am afraid the situation is a bit more complicated," he motioned towards the young orange-haired girl.

"Who is she?"

"She won't talk," the huntsman sighed as he lowered his voice. "Might be a survivor of an outlying village, the Grimm have been more active to our neighbors. I hate to ask but…"

"I will need to speak with An," the older man interrupted, guessing his purpose. "I am certain she will not object. Can you watch her for the night? We have enough troubles from normal Grimm packs to not worry about our own citizens adding to them."

"Thank you, of course if I can convince her to trust me," the tall huntsman waved to the boy at Li's feet who kept his head down nearly on the verge of tears. "Tell An I said hello."

As Li took his son and left, the huntsman in charge of Kuroyuri's defenses returned his attention to the girl, thankful that she hadn't taken the opportunity to run.

"Is that alright?" He asked kindly. "You can get a good meal, rest and tomorrow we see about finding a home for you." She looked nervous but after several moments nodded as he placed the full loaf in her hand, stressing her to take the bites slow and steadily. "Do you have a name?" He finally asked as he took her hand and they started towards his house across town.

"N-Nora."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Nora, my name is Hattori. I have a little boy about your age. When my family moves here I am sure he would love to meet you."

 **Mistral Farm…**

 _ **It is imperative we leave as soon as possible. I am sorry but we have no choice in this.**_

Oscar continued milking the cows for the morning chores, having resolved that he was unwell and to ignore the voice. Despite this Ozpin's assertions, he refused to engage with him in conversation hoping to outlast the voice. He continued on his daily routine as the assertions continued.

 _ **You didn't see it in a book, how could you remember the smell and taste of the coffee if you had? We can help so many people out there; I need to get in contact with my associates.**_

Oscar remained resolute as he collected eggs; they had no further trouble with any snatchers. Both he and the voice in his head theorized the lone Grimm must have been one that strayed from the pack before it moved on. Most of the time, the instincts of smaller Grimm kept them away from large settlements. It had likely grown bold out of necessity though they worried it may have been stealing eggs to lure out prey one at a time.

 _ **Many people could be hurt and are at risk while we stay here, we must head to Haven at once.**_

Ozpin was getting desperate; Oscar could hear it in his voice. He had started out assuring him all the good he could do and to get him off the farm for something more. When that hadn't worked he moved on to a greater mission and convincing him what he saw in their memories was real and not a dream. Now it almost seemed like he was trying to guilt him. Oscar wasn't having any of it; he would stand his ground even if…

 _ **I have many enemies, if they find out I am here no one on this farm will be safe.**_

Oscar had been cleaning the barn out, bucket of water and rag in hand. At those words, however he dropped both. Falling to his knees he gripped his head in frustration, tears welling in his eyes.

"I don't want to…"

 _ **Neither do I.**_

"But…my aunt…"

 _ **Will be much safer with us as far from here as possible, of that you have my word. Sometimes…we have to give up the things we love most for the greater good. If nothing else please believe me that I know that pain most of all.**_

No matter how much Oscar wanted to argue, he just couldn't. Something deep inside just told him he wasn't lying. Was it his own intuitions, or the foreign invader's? He had to admit to himself, he had dreamed of being whisked away from the farm to far off adventure. But now that the opportunity was literally in front of him…he just couldn't do it.

 _ **Why not?**_ Most unsettlingly, the voice was ever aware of his conflict, part of their bond as he had said.

"I'm scared."

 _ **That is understandable, anyone would be. It does not make you any less up to the task than others whom have been in your place. I will admit there have been more…fitting bonds, but there also have been far worse.**_

"Then how do you know I can even help?"

 _ **Truthfully? I do not, but rarely does anyone know such things starting out. I have strived to protect this world and change it for the best…but I will not lie in that I have made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet. Like you, all I can hope to do is move forward…and hope the future is better.**_

 **Kuroyuri, Years Ago…**

Nora jolted up in her bed uncertain if it had been due to hearing something or merely her nerves. Glancing around, it took her a moment to remember where she was. She was laying on a small bed meant for a child, the huntsman leading the city's defense, Hattori Soplar, had given her permission to use it. After a meal and preparing a bath for her, she had been exhausted. Apparently the room was meant for his own son who had yet to relocate to Kuroyuri with his wife.

The bed was covered in sheets the same color blue as most of the huntsman's attire. The walls were half painted and appeared to be depicting snow, fallen leaves and green fields; clearly he hadn't prioritized finishing the room yet. In the middle was a table with a lamp of a design she had never seen before. Nora became fascinated with the device, there was a light source inside that when turned on threw shapes onto the walls. Timidly, she clicked the switch on.

The light shined through the silhouettes as it started to spin. Nora looked up in wonder as each one showed what looked like a step of dancing with the shattered moon overhead. Each step had the moon in a different phase, making it easier to memorize the particular shape below. A man and woman embraced as they went through the steps of the complicated dance, the young orphan could not help but smile a she imagined herself doing the same.

Making her way into the kitchen it became evident Nora was alone; Hattori must have left for one reason or another. His half-eaten meal was growing cold on the table; a small display was set up with five extinguished candles sitting upon it.

The smile on her lips died quickly as a blood-curdling scream cut through the air, the same noise that had roused her from sleep. Memories of her hometown flooded back, she had prayed this new one would be safer…she was wrong. With hesitant, terrified steps she peeked out the front door.

The stinging smell of something burning reached her nose first, forcing her to cover it with her hand. A great black plume was rising from the other side of town; unbeknownst to her it was the main gate. The richer inhabitants had spared no expense on the defense, automated turrets and dust cannons meant to keep out entire hordes of Beowolves. Yet, despite their preparedness, the sounds of cannon and gunfire had long since gone silent.

People were fleeing from the smoke, clearly knowing more than she did. She blamed herself for growing so accustomed to the comfortable bed, the soft sense of peace that let her drift into such a deep sleep. Had the Grimm followed her? That fear would haunt her for years to come.

"Li! Look out!"

She heard his voice, the huntsman who had taken her in, not far ahead from the sounds of it. As her heart lifted with hope it was quickly dashed. The wall between her and the next street exploded as a body came flying through, it was Hattori. He was battered, bleeding badly and his left arm was clearly broken. The mighty sword on his back was held in his last good hand and he spat blood as he rose to his feet. He did not spot her hiding beneath the nearby porch.

"What is going on Hattori?" Li asked as he looked over his friend's injuries. "Your aura…"

"I don't know!" His normally confident and stoic friend shouted in pained frustration. "This…this has never happened before, I can't reconstitute it!"

A sickening shriek from the entrance cut through the air, causing the two warriors to look onward in terror. Li Ren drew an arrow and fired into the smoke, clearly believing it was a useless gesture as something large and black moved within it.

"Get An and Lie," Hattori shouted. "I'll slow it down!"

"It will kill you!"

"Just get your family, Nora, whoever else you can and RUN!" Hattori gripped the sword in his hand that looked almost too heavy to wield now. Groaning in pain he ran towards the dark shape…the last Nora ever saw of him was disappearing into the smoke obscuring the monstrous silhouette and a crackling boom from the weapon in his hand. None knew that his final thoughts were an apology to his wife and son; he had tried so hard to find a place for them to live safely…

The terrified girl couldn't move, even as the horrific Grimm killed everyone nearby and moved on. Not even as the hordes moved in its wake, she just huddled there clutching her arms. She refused to move…right up till the moment a familiar green-robed young boy found her. He held her close, hiding their emotions with his newly awakened semblance…and the unbreakable bond between them had been forged.

 **Present…**

Nora squeezed Ren's hand tight, both of them recalling the horrors of that night. Not everyone the young girl had met had perished; he had survived and been by her side all this time. It took every ounce of energy in her body not to throw herself into a hug right then and there, they had no time.

"Okay, enough rest," Jaune called out to the still tired pursuers. "Olivia, lead the way…we have to keep moving and find Ruby at all costs."

 **Mistral Farm…**

"Do you think the coast is clear?"

 _ **How would I know?**_ The voice asked almost patronizingly. _**We are bonded, I can literally see no more than you can.**_

Oscar shrugged admitting the ridiculousness of the question, slinging the satchel over his back he peeked outside the door. As expected, the field was empty, he'd prepared his supplies for the trip but food would be noticed missing almost immediately. In order to make it out unseen he'd have to grab what he could and head out once his aunt went to sleep.

The young boy snuck onto the porch, creeping into the house being sure to avoid each of the notoriously noisy and creaky boards. Once he was inside he could pick what food he needed having carefully decided how much could go missing but not cause an issue for her and the other farmhands. He'd never live it down if he caused even more trouble. He'd even spent the previous night writing a heartfelt farewell note asking her to forgive him and that she didn't have to worry. He ended with true thanks for how she had watched over him since his parents died and he would always be grateful.

 _I can leave it on the table; it's the first place she goes every morning. She'll be sure to…_

A sudden light source caused the farmhand's joints to lock up. He froze as if the illumination had some power over him, yet it was not the newfound radiance that caused him to pause, but the absolutely livid older woman sitting at the dinner table. His Aunt Melanie was in a dull green robe, arms crossed over her chest with fingers tapping aggravatingly, her look bored into his eyes at having caught him in the act.

"Going somewhere?" She asked quick and harshly.

"I…"

 _ **Calm down son, that is a look of concern, not anger.**_

"You aren't very subtle," she explained without any provocation. "Did you think food was the ONLY thing I monitored? How often do you do your own laundry? And then not bothering to put the clothes away, a map of the region, then there was emptying out your little rainy day fund…

 _She knew about that?_

"I," she sighed, finally standing to her full height. "I just want to know that you aren't doing what I think you're doing."

Oscar turned his head away; he could never lie to her.

"Why?" She asked almost begging. "Aren't you happy here? Haven't I, Hanz and the others worked to keep you safe, to…?"

"It's not that!" Oscar interrupted immediately before she came to the wrong conclusion. "I just, I have to go. I want to be a huntsman," he told the truth to an extent. "I can do so much out there that I can't here."

"So you'll go out there," she was almost on him. "Fight the things that took…"

Oscar reached out instinctively, hugging his aunt tightly, causing her to freeze at the sudden action.

"I know you just want to protect me," he started much to Ozpin's pride. "But if I just stay here, I'll just be hiding. No matter how scary it can be out there…I want to try."

"I won't allow it," she answered quickly as they parted, stomping her foot defiantly. "So help me I'll tie you down in that barn!"

Oscar let out the hints of a smile, he knew she was grasping out of concern, but he couldn't back down now.

"I'm 14 auntie, I'd get out…maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually you'd have to let me out. Maybe next time you went to the fair…"

Oscar stopped as soon as he saw the tears in her eyes; it took all the resolve backed by the voice in his head to stand his ground. It wasn't just to see the world and help others; it was to keep her safe. At the very least he owed her that much.

"Thanks auntie," he leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek. "I'll write whenever I can, maybe meet a knight or two I can send your way."

"Well," she sniffed back the tears. "You can't very well go unprepared can you?"

She reached under the table, pulling out a backpack. Based on the shape it was filled to bursting with supplies, food and bottled water. There was enough to last him at least several days in case he had difficulty making it to the nearby town. Oscar could only look slack jawed at the provisions his aunt had made in advance.

 _ **What a remarkable woman.**_

 _You can say that again._

His Aunt Melanie leaned forward, giving him one last squeeze stronger than before. For a moment Oscar feared she would follow through on her threat to hold him there by force. Only a moment though as he reciprocated the hug not even caring that the voice in his head was surely watching.

 _ **I'll…give you two some privacy, take all the time you need.**_ At those words he departed and for the first time in many long days, Oscar was alone with his thoughts.

 _What am I getting myself into?_

 **Salem's Domain…**

Cinder stumbled into her room, she had been training with Salem for hours and the exertion had taken its toll. The young Maiden couldn't even summon the fire in her eye any longer and each step was more grueling than the last. Emerald, ever loyal to a fault, had tried to help her but she refused. Despite that, the green-haired illusionist hung near Cinder, just waiting for a moment she might be needed. Despite her most scathing look, she remained close, risking whatever punishment might follow.

"Please Cinder," Emerald stressed. "This won't help to do this to yourself. Just let me…"

"Silence," Cinder quickly signed with her right hand, the left still obscured beneath the red sleeve. Emerald swiftly complied.

"Hor…Ember asked us to look after you," she admitted. His request had been quite clear before his departure. "You did command us to listen to him after you right?"

Cinder shot another annoyed glance, Emerald looked down yet continued to stand there. After recruiting her, Cinder had treated her as a tool, she was useful and her talents were instrumental in the fall of Beacon. Ever since meeting…him, Cinder could not help but see that same devotion, that same drive to help despite no reason in return that she could understand.

 _She's just like him…just like…._

 **Months ago…**

"This next step is a bit tricky, be careful not…" Horatio tried to warn Cinder who scoffed at his warning silently. Despite her assurance, he was still hovering near her, a hand around her waist while holding her right in case of any stumble or slip.

It had been several days since Cinder was able to stand again. Slowly but surely they had been expanding her range that she could move on her own. Finally, it extended beyond the castle walls, allowing the two to walk about the grounds. As Salem had promised, the Grimm gave them a wide berth, however the freedom did not extend to Mercury or Emerald, the latter especially looked on sadly as she was forced to remain within the confines of the Keep.

They had mostly walked in silence save for Horatio's occasional worries or positive reinforcement of her progress. They had not heard back from Salem or Merlot of this replacement they were working on and that worried him. What form of prosthetic could take so long to implement? Cinder made signs with her right hand demanding him to calm down.

 _At least Emerald knew that sign language she taught us, she is amazing…I can see why Cinder recruited her. Now if Cinder just doesn't notice for a few more minutes…_

Horatio only subtly guided her movements but it was enough to keep her from noticing in her state of focus. After Salem had granted them permission to leave the keep, he had made his own rounds, picking out the perfect place with flat surface for her to walk. That wasn't the only thing he was looking for…

Cinder looked up as they rounded the corner, not far ahead was a pavilion made out of the strange crystals that dotted the landscape. What was it doing there? Had Salem used it once upon a time? When he came across it originally, everything had a thick layer of dust…it had not been cleaned in some time. Horatio took up that task himself, making the crystals sparkle anytime it was Emerald or Mercury's turn to watch over their Maiden. They glimmered off the moon high in the sky; several benches had been prepared leading their eyes to what he had set up in advance…a lone easel.

Cinder immediately tugged in the opposite direction, Horatio held firm but relaxed his grip in case she truly was against it. She glared menacingly into his eyes as her lone hand repeated the same word over and over again.

"No."

"Please," Horatio begged, pulling out the best smile he could muster after so long in a place of darkness. "I want to, just like when we met remember?" He knew she did, her reaction at the team portrait assured him of that. "Just because you lost…so much," his eyes instinctively fell to her left eye and nonexistent arm. "Doesn't mean you should let it eat away at you, you're still so much more than that I…"

He hesitated as Cinder looked up expectantly awaiting his next words that never came as his courage failed.

"I…please, just give me one chance. If you don't like it, you can set it aflame…I swear."

Cinder's resistance noticeably abated, after several moments she replied with a single head nod and raised finger to stress this was his one chance. She looked down at her attire, a long red dress that obscured far more of her than the old one he had seen her in by the cliffs. This was especially prevalent in the long sleeves, the left of which hung limply at her side while the right nearly blocked her entire arm down to the hand. She had worn long dark stockings hiding her legs and scars upon them from the world. She refused to show any skin below the neck, he had not seen her tattoo since the fall.

"It's too bad to don't show it anymore," he started softly, speaking his mind. "The tattoo was beautiful." Cinder glanced over to him, signing in such a way that made him blush like they were back at Beacon.

"Trying to get me to show more skin?" She actually allowed a smug mischievous grin to break through her solemn expression. He hadn't seen that look in a long time.

Cinder took a seat, sitting up straight and proper as she placed her hand over her lap to await his attention. It did not take long before the smile was on his face again, pencil in hand he started immediately. The two remained like that, him working as she modeled. Unlike the previous year, he had no classes and she no duties. Neither had anywhere they needed to or would rather be. He had brought food that lay in a nearby basket so they could take short breaks and continue as much as they could. The time of day never seemed to change, despite all that, deep down he just didn't want the moment to end. The young man would talk about everything he could such as the lessons with Emerald and how she had cared for Cinder with him, or sparring with Mercury to blow off some steam and keep in shape. The silver-haired assassin was still quite sore over the initial loss at Beacon and was eager for a rematch.

"Aaanddd…this could be a good stopping point," Horatio alerted her as he laid down the last of his utensils. He had no idea how many hours they had been painting but his hand was cramping and even Cinder looked to be wobbling somewhat. "We can come back tomorrow and finish, perhaps…"

Cinder stood as soon as he had given her approval to move, with careful steps she walked around to view the canvas. As always, the details were immaculate despite being uncolored, the lack of which drew attention to her face as before. He seemed to have used a curve in his style that made her features more rounded, nonetheless it was like staring at herself and she took in all she saw, her missing arm, her eye, the barely visible scarring behind her styled hair. It was clear he had drawn her scars in a softer manner, somehow making their presence and her missing left arm appear as natural as any other part of her body. And then there was her smile.

The Fall Maiden was wearing a content smile, like a normal girl posing for a family picture. As Horatio had done before, he had not drawn the flat, composed expression Cinder had chosen, but instead what he saw in her as her happiest. If one was to look at it, they would guess that she had healed, come to terms with what happened and her future plans…

 _That I've become complacent…_

Cinder turned to Horatio, eye narrowing towards him. Just like in the bedroom, she wrapped an arm around and pulled him close. Without warning she locked his lips around hers in a kiss as they had on the dance floor of Beacon. It was unexpected, but not unwanted and he reciprocated gladly. They were so consumed by each other, that neither felt a gentle breeze blow past and for the first time in ages, autumn, however briefly, visited that dark realm of destruction.

Finally, they parted and only then did Horatio spot the stern expression on Cinder's face, one not so different from the first time he had seen her true face beneath the coliseum of the Vytal Festival. He realized too late his error.

Cinder snapped a finger, in an instant the half-finished portrait caught fire and started to burn. Her smile was the first to go, the orange flames spreading outward until the entire easel started to crumble. The crystals nearby were not flammable and would contain the conflagration, but the result of many hours of work was gone. His mouth dropped open in shock though not a word came out as Cinder started to sign.

"Not me. Not weak."

"That wasn't what I intended," he started as she turned to leave on her own. He didn't know what to say to fix this. "Let me try again, I…"

"Stay away."

Horatio's heart plummeted, praying he had misread her sign, yet she repeated it. Even when he tried to help her walk again, she shirked away. He had no way of knowing the turmoil inside Cinder, as the young man who loved her was torn between her and his past life…so was she. The pain and frustration at being seen as anything other than the strongest, the best, even by him, fought inside her and in that moment…she wanted solitude.

Cinder left him standing there at the pavilion, making her way to the room under her own power to rest. Only later did she surmise that is when Salem must have taken him. Indeed she was correct, for not long after she had left did a dark shape approach the lamenting young man from behind demanding his presence elsewhere and none could refuse such a request…

 **Present Day….**

 _Everything can be gone in a moment…I shouldn't have walked away. He was mine, he IS mine._

The worry on her face was obvious, yet Emerald had no idea what thoughts plagued her mind ever since her knight had been bidden to depart with Tyrian. What if he chose his friends, what if he never came back to Salem's Keep now that he was free to roam? Had she any energy left in her body, the door frame she was currently leaning against would be kindling.

"Come," she finally motioned for Emerald to follow. With energy renewed in her eyes she followed, ready to assist at a moment's notice. "You can tell me of all that transpired while I slept."

 _Time can be snatched at any time…I must ensure to never waste a single moment…not even a second!_

 **Anima…**

 _Why did you do it?_

 _ **I didn't mean to…**_

 _Does fighting mean so much you couldn't help yourself?_

 _ **Just Grimm! I never wanted to kill anyone! I…I even stopped using live rounds!**_

 _Except just now._

 _ **I had to protect Uncle Qrow! I couldn't just let him fight alone!**_

 _And you think that need to protect others will never come back? If you really believe that you are dreaming…and you should probably wake up._

Ruby groaned quietly as the world opened up before her, an intense source of light forcing her to squint. She was sleeping beside a low-burning smokeless fire warming her. In addition to the crackling flames, a wide red cloak was laid out over her like a blanket. Only upon trying to get up did she realize it was impossible, she was bound at the hands and feet, she could do little more than roll though even that seemed an impossible task.

She was so tired, her brow was drenched in sweat from fever and her shoulder burned. Her huntress attire was ripped though bandages had been wrapped around her wound and further down to protect her modesty.

 _Whe-where am I? The last thing I remember is…_

"Good Morning Ms. Rose," the voice drew her attention as a looming black shape obscured the light outside. It was none other than the mysterious knight; half of his helmet had been destroyed though the revealed portion had been covered by the same bandages used to bind her. His cape was gone, clearly being used as the blanket currently covering her body. Naught could be seen save for a red eye staring back at her. "I am overjoyed that you have pulled through the night."

 **Sorry for the delays, splitting between all the characters makes each chapter FAR more detailed than the past lol. Our heroes each confront one another's demons, until next time Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D**


	10. Among the Ruins of the Past

**Lelouch of Zero: Happy New Year to you too! You aren't wrong about HERO's love life, especially poor Horatio. Even in his past, how wonderful it would have been for Horatio to have been friends with Ren and Nora if fate had been kinder...**

 **And with that...ONTO THE SHOW!**

The former heiress held out her hand, focusing in front of her while still fuming. Her father had removed her status as heiress in light of her recent outbursts under the excuse that the fall of Beacon had been too much for her. No one would know the truth, after taking Myrtenaster he'd forbidden Weiss from leaving her room…"she was grounded" he had said. Klein did his best to alleviate the isolation, but the rest of the staff was on the side of her father, none would cross him openly.

 _I…I thought I knew what he would stoop to. To do all of this just to save face!?_

She clenched her hands tightly, a small glyph shimmering on the floor. It was the size of her standard ones yet had a symbol of greatswords protruding from it, the same she had called into being under fire in Beacon. She had been practicing when she was certain no one was watching but it had been slow. Winter explained long ago that summoning took great focus and was easier with a medium to ground her thoughts. Up until recently that had been Myrtenaster, even without it Weiss refused to just sit back and play the role of good girl again. Her frustration was not helping; as it stood she could barely summon a normal glyph to say nothing of summoning which had eluded her for years WITH Myrtenaster.

The sound of knocks at her heavy wooden door broke her concentration yet again, scattering her glyph to the winds. She turned with a huff.

"Go AWAY!" She shouted for the tenth time that day. If it wasn't Whitley mocking her imprisonment it was servants ensuring she was still in her room. She'd had enough.

"Okay," a familiar voice whispered through the door. "But if you don't want this mug of steaming hot coffee…"

Weiss rushed over and threw the door open, the stand-in for the Dust Coalition awaiting her with a mug in-hand. Eyes wide, she grabbed the surprised man by the collar and pull him inside, glancing down each hall to ensure no one saw him.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered harshly, unsure if she wanted to hit or hug him. "What if somebody spotted you?"

"It's good to see you too Weiss," he grinned that confident yet smug expression that drove her nuts. "Thought you could use someone to talk to, don't worry I'll be gone before anyone notices."

"I…" She calmed herself, the frustration of the past few days focusing on Flynt without cause. After a deep breath, she plopped down on her bed with a sigh. "I'm sorry, but…"

"You want to leave?" Flynt knew her mind. "Don't worry, we've got a plan."

Weiss looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise. "We?"

"You have at least one good friend here," he winked. "Just don't let them get ya down; we'll spring ya in no time."

"But, if you are caught…"

"Please," Flynt straightened his tie confidently. "As far as father of the year and his miniature clone will know, you disappeared into thin air."

"Flynt…"

"Ah, don't get sentimental yet on me," he looked away, hiding a spike of warmth on his cheeks. "Save it for when you're free."

A renewed knock caused Weiss to jump; it was much too heavy to be Klein.

"Ms. Schnee," the voice of another maid called out. "I thought I heard voices in there. Are you alright?"

Weiss scrambled for an excuse yet Flynt never budged from his spot as if uncaring that he was about to be caught. Without a sign of worry, he raised a hand to his lips for silence. It was only then that Weiss noticed his tie as her attention was drawn to his chest. While normally light-blue, this one was a softer shade of red, she gasped as the answer came to her.

"We got this," he whispered before shimmering out of existence, his semblance finally dissipating to leave the Schnee daughter standing alone just as the door opened. The older maid glanced around confused, clearly noticing that Weiss was alone

"What?" The huntress-in training remarked as she took a sip of the still-hot coffee. "You've never talked to yourself before? Now if you would leave…I have more practice to do."

 _If I am getting out of here, I'll be at the top of my game by then. Flynt isn't give up so neither can I!_

 **Salem's Domain…**

Mercury was ducking, weaving and jabbing. It was his usual routine when Ember was not around to spar against. Emerald was nearby taking aim at a row of wooden dummies, each shot hitting their mark dead center.

Cinder oversaw them, but only passively as she watched their routines. Neither could match her, yet in time perhaps they could become a fearsome force. Compared to the others serving Salem they were pale imitations, but with more time…

She had a book in-hand, eyes drifting over the words which soothed her mind. This one in particular was on the tactics and strategies of the Great War, a fascinating read on how the King of Vale won so many victories. Most of it was surely fictitious as it made no mention of the very items that granted his victory…still, she had to admit many of the downplayed accomplishments were rather ingenious. Cinder stroked back a strand of dark hair that had gotten in her way. Ember had not been paying an empty compliment when he remarked that her hair was growing back. Amazingly, it was progressing much faster than even the good Professor had estimated.

They had limited time before her own training would continue. The recovering Fall Maiden watched over her disciples, ensuring none of their time or movements were wasted. Salem had her elites…and in time she would have hers. The vision was clear in her head, clearer than it had been in many months. Two disciples who could only grow stronger, a knight by her side and one quarter of her desired goal, there was much to do, but it was a start. Her epiphany of utilizing every moment had given her a peace of mind and clarity that eluded her initially since the fall. The frustration seemed to abate every day; it was wasting her time more than anything else.

 _It's almost nothing like it was not too long ago…_

 **Not Too Long Ago…**

Cinder rolled to the side grumbling miserably, it felt like morning. Anyone not accustomed to the realm of darkness could never distinguish the times of day, but she could and it didn't help. She had not slept well; between the pain and inability to speak she was at her frustration's end. On top of that, the image of the latest painting by Horatio, injuries and all, would not leave her mind.

 _How anyone can be so blindingly naïve despite all he's seen is…_

At his thought Cinder only then noticed something was missing, it took her a moment but she soon realized…she was hungry. Every morning since awakening, Horatio had appeared at the ungodly early hours of the morning, breakfast tray in hand. She would grumble, begrudgingly allow him entry and to leave the food before departing. The system had worked until now. There was no smell, no knock and the hour was clearly much later than even his tardiest day. There was no sign of him.

A loud rap at the door startled her, heavier than usual.

 _What took him so long, I swear I'll…_

Instead of the young former huntsman, Salem's hunter Tyrian greeted her, the same smile scarcely holding back the manic nature behind his eyes ever present. It was hard to tell with him, but the sinister scorpion appeared giddier than normal.

"My apologies for waking our Fall Maiden," he announced dramatically as ever, bowing low. "I was sent with a message from our Queen."

Cinder narrowed her eyes in annoyance at him, silently demanding he get to the point.

"She wishes to thank you for allowing the use of your…caretaker for the time being," his smile widened at the restrained but present expression of surprise on Cinder's face. "She wishes to convey that she is hoping to return him in as near to original condition as possible depending on his outlook."

" **Where** …?" Cinder croaked, her voice low and hoarse. Even that much was absolute agony to her yet she let her face betray none of the pain.

"Oh, where she has gone with him I know not nor asked…and neither should you." His eyes narrowed towards her and his voice lowered. When he was carrying the word of Salem, his conviction was unbreakable.

 _Where could she have taken him? Surely still within her domain, perhaps the arena, the pools…the gallows?_

Cinder cycled through each of the areas of Salem's realm she had visited and was well aware of in her time, yet without more information each one was as likely as the last. Tyrian just stood in front of her as if fully aware of her turmoil, grinning devilishly. It was as if he could read her mind; know of the ache that was ripping through her chest she wanted to stop. She could reduce him to a husk with a thought, though knew what would happen if she did…and so did he.

" **Get…out…** "

"Of course," Tyrian bowed low once more. "I was but the messenger, it will be up to your little pet to make it through the days." Turning to leave, he suddenly turned as if his next remark totally slipped his mind. "Oh, and her Grace also commanded to head to the Infirmary…something regarding giving you a hand." He glanced to the stump of her left arm.

Cinder clenched her fist, orange flames licking at her sole remaining eye. Despite the terrifying expression she was exhuming, Tyrian's crazed demeanor and uncontrolled laughter never wavered as he closed the door and departed with a practical skip to his step. The Fall Maiden was fuming; generating an orb of fire in her hand she turned inward and aimed at the first thing she saw.

She hesitated, aiming at the shelf filled with every book Horatio had read as she lay there prostrate after regaining consciousness, the one he had discovered on twin gods was missing, he rarely went anywhere without it. She turned, realizing if she fired she'd hit the table, the map on the wall, even the hideous plants he had brought in. No matter where she looked she saw something else he had brought to fill the room with life. Finally she saw the small desk near her bed, the portrait of Team CRMS staring back at her through those eyes that would never be hers.

Cinder squeezed the fireball in her hand in frustration, allowing it to detonate harmlessly without damaging anything. She was shaking, having so much power at her fingertips, yet in that moment it was all utterly worthless. At last she stood up straight, smoothing out her dress and exhaling with relief that no one had seen her near-outburst as she slowly calmed.

 _He will return, I should control myself better. I will grow stronger, heal and recuperate and when he returns…I will be here._

 **Present Day…**

 _I believed that then, and he did._

Cinder remembered that sense of triumph, of…elation when he emerged through the council chamber doors in his new armor. That had been the first time she laid eyes on him since the pavilion, falling to a knee and professing his loyalty to protecting her. Despite whatever Salem had put him through, his eyes were the same when he removed his helmet on the terrace, when they…before they were separated again.

"Are you prepared?"

Cinder turned; in the doorway was none other than the Mistress of the Keep, Salem herself in all her dark splendor. As always, she was accompanied by her seer, Mercury and Emerald ceased their training at her entrance.

Cinder stood, bowing in reverence before answering with a single nod.

"Excellent…now leave us," she referred to Mercury and Emerald who both hastily complied though a bit slower as they subtly awaited Cinder's confirmation nod.

Salem watched them closely until both were out of the room and the giant heavy doors slammed shut behind. From the shadows obscuring the edges of the arena, a pair of Alpha Beowolves with glowing green eyes emerged. It seemed she would be continuing the same training regimen she had since Ember's departure.

"Now, I want you to…"

A soft clicking sound interrupted her words; slowly she glanced over to the corner bench where a small glass orb lay. The immature eye was rattling, clearly alerting them to an incoming transmission from its partner in a far-off land. Salem turned back to Cinder with a smug grin, easily realizing who it was. With a wave of her hand, the pair of Grimm backed off and laid down passively.

"Well? Aren't you going to answer that?"

 **Mistral Train Station…**

"This is…different," Oscar thought as he plopped down in his seat on the train car heading to The city of Mistral. He'd gone to fairs and other events in towns near the farm but it would be his first time heading to the "big city" as his aunt put it. Fortunately she had provided more than sufficient funds for a ticket and that was no object. Already the train had started moving; they should be in the city by end of the following day.

 _ **This will almost go all the way to Mistral; from there it is a simple walk to the city.**_ Ozpin remarked after a rather lengthy time of silence since the locomotive had started moving.

"Why are we stopping in the city again? Wouldn't it be better to go on straight to Haven?" Oscar asked as he pulled out the book on Haven Academy with the picture of the Headmaster's office he knew so well now. He was getting better at this, trying to help where he could so he was doing a bit more than being a glorified taxi for Ozpin.

 _ **Normally yes, but the Headmaster has been...irrational in his recent actions. I want to rendezvous with another colleague of mine before then.**_

"How will he know to meet us if I'm the only one who knows about your return?"

 _ **He is very reliable and has done well over the years. I can't guarantee WHEN he'll come by, but I know a few hang outs of his. If he is in the city following the trail which I am sure he is or will be soon, then we'll find him.**_

"That's good," the former farmhand sighed as he leaned back. A shadow loomed beside him signifying another passenger wished to enter, likely his neighbor for the trip as the train was packed quite full. "Sorry, is there enough roo…"

The newcomer was an absolute monster of a man, towering so high his hair almost scraped the ceiling. He wore a short sleeved coat in two different shades of green over a black undershirt and matching pants. His expression was flat and unreadable as he slid in beside Oscar, barely fitting into the booth they shared. Why was he just coming by now, the train had been moving nearly an hour by this point and there'd been no sign of him?

 _ **Don't…say…a word,**_ Ozpin's words sent a wave of cold through Oscar's body. Afraid to even think the question of why, he pulled the book up closer to his face hope to obscure his eyes. Unfortunately it was noticed as his neighbor glanced over.

"You don't need to fear me kid," the man muttered in a tone MANY decibels lower than his own. "Appearances can be deceiving."

"O-okay," he stuttered despite Ozpin's warnings. If only to placate the intimidating passenger, he lowered the book to a more natural level.

"Going to Haven Academy?" He asked gruffly, taking note of the book in his hands.

"Y-yes, I want t-to be a huntsman," he could practically hear Ozpin inhale nervously in his head.

"…Why?"

"To help people," his courage spiked somewhat at the simple question though he made sure not to mention the voice telling him to. "It seems like after what happened at Beacon, people willing to do the right thing are needed more than ever."

"You can help people in ways other than becoming a huntsman," he replied coldly, no longer looking at the fourteen-year old. Somehow that made Oscar feel better, he looked out the window as well watching the rocky terrain pass by. "Being a huntsman is not as glamorous as I am sure that book makes it out to be."

"It isn't about glamour!" Oscar blurted out, drawing the giant's eyes back to him. "It's about doing what is right! About doing what I can, b-being a hero," the boyhood fantasy of his came to the forefront of his thoughts. It was unrealistic, he knew, yet that was the first word to come to his mind in that moment."

"Not all huntsmen are heroes. You'll learn that in due course kid."

That line ended all dialogue between them; they just sat there as Oscar continued pretending to read his book as the burly stranger stared forward with crossed arms. He was either sleeping with his eyes open or meditation, they could not tell which.

 _ **That man is very dangerous, with any luck we can just make it to Mistral in silence. Perhaps if we…**_

The train lurched suddenly, throwing Oscar from his seat towards the aisle though he was caught by his neighbor who prevented him from being jettisoned with a single hand. The young boy looked up with an awkward grin of thanks.

"What happened?"

"…Grimm." The bulky neighbor cracked his neck and took to the aisle.

On cue, metal shutters lowered over the windows making it difficult to see outside. The clear sound of heavy cannon fire could be heard from atop the train, many were outfitted in similar ways to fend off attack once beyond the limits of defensible towns or cities.

"What kind of Grimm could possibly have stopped a train?" Oscar shouted as he looked through the blinds as he could.

Oscar spotted the explosion of dirt and debris as the creature punched its way through the cliffside not far. The black body and white mask confirmed its status as a creature of Grimm, but the monster was unlike any the young farmhand had ever read about. It resembled a large worm however its girth had to be as large as the train itself. The mask split open from all sides revealing an immense maw disappearing down its length, the end of which couldn't be seen from how long it was. The remainder of it disappeared into the tunnel from whence it had emerged. Dust shells and heave ordinance impacted its carapace; however the thick skin seemed to be taking the shots with little effect.

 _ **An Arrakin**_ , Ozpin sighed in his head. _**Sometimes I question if I was cursed with Mr. Branwen's semblance…**_

 **Atlas…**

"And you're certain your father can supply the necessary manpower?" Jacques Schnee asked while leaning back in his chair, hand crossed in front of him.

"We have enough loyal workers," Flynt confirmed, similarly leaning back in a similar manner while crossing his legs. The two silently analyzed one another the entire time yet would never admit it. To an uninitiated outside party, the meeting would have appeared the model of perfection and courtesy. "My dad can have the distribution completed within the month."

"Excellent, it's too bad he was not so cooperative or our partnership would have been much more fruitful before the…unpleasantness."

A soft knock followed by the door opening alerted them that Klein had arrived. He was balancing a rather large silver tray filled with a complete tea set, biscuits, utensils and assorted luncheon foods. Even Jacques raised an eyebrow at how over prepared his head butler was. He could barely carry the tray before setting it down on a nearby table with a huff of relief.

"Your afternoon luncheon?" He asked, pouring a cup for both men and handing them off.

"Please," Flynt accepted the tea with a polite head nod. "It's been quite a while since I had such welcoming hospitali…"

His fingers slipped, causing the cup and its contents to fall into his lap. The young solider and entrepreneur jumped up, dropping the cup to the ground with a clatter.

"Ow!" He winced at the burning liquid, Klein was quickly at the ready, already collecting the broken shards and supplying a cloth for Flynt to wipe himself down with. "Sorry about that Mr…"

"Quite alright young man," he stood up. I am sure we can get you a change of clothes and continue with our discussions straight away."

"Why wait?" Flynt hoped his shades would hide the gleam in his eye. "I got some spare suits, if you don't mind a discussion on the go we can keep the momentum up while I get into nicer clothes…no time to waste after all."

The smile on Jacques face told him he had taken the bait.

"PRECISELY my mindset Mr. Coal, Klein you can get this later. Come, I believe I may have a solution to finding ways around this embargo the good general seems intent on continuing."

Klein shuffled out of the office; the head of the Schnee family was pleasantly surprised when Flynt held the door open for him. He followed behind Jacques and closed the door; he quickly locked it and placed the key in his breast pocket. In that moment, Jacques Schnee had no idea the levels of self-control the young man had to maintain to keep the smile on his face when all he wanted to do was scowl at the horrific excuse for a human being and father in front of him.

"Now then, these loyal workers of yours, do you think they could do a bit more heavy lifting?" The conversation echoed throughout the marble halls, the older man so engrossed in their talks that he failed to notice the hint of a shadow move across the bottom of the office door, signaling movement within.

 **Inside the Office…**

The second Flynt left behind ducked back into the room before his shadow could be spotted beneath the door. The transition had been seamless, as militarized musician held the door open he had focused his semblance and created a clone near indistinguishable to himself save the yellow rim of his hat and tie. He had time to work…but not much.

The safe in the back looked secure yet was not as high-tech as much of the other devices in the room. His only theory was that it had been in the family a long time and Jacques Schnee had never bothered to update it. Who could possibly get so deep into his little fortress undetected?

"Two forward, one back," he muttered to himself. "Three to the left, four right, back, another few…aaaannndd…."

As Klein had informed the combination worked, popping the lock open with a resounding click and silencing any potential alarms for even a single failed attempt. As silently as he could, Flynt pulled the door just far enough to peek inside. It was a treasure trove, for any thief, every item inside was worth a small fortune yet Flynt glossed over them all. Documents on Schnee's business dealings, dust crystals of the purest quantity, family heirlooms, none were what he was looking for. Finally, with a gasp of success he spotted it…a long silver suitcase.

"Please please please please," he chanted as he opened it, verifying the contents. Sure of his find, he snapped the case shut and took it with him.

There was no way out, the moment he set foot out of the office he'd be spotted. He was too far up to climb and the window was securely locked as well. Fortunately, he and Klein had already thought of everything. Approaching the small table, he fiddled with a small nob on the side of the large silver tray the old butler had brought in…far more than it seemed.

The side popped out, revealing a hidden compartment, what the head servant in Schnee manor had used it for himself, Flynt was too afraid to ask. Carefully he removed Myrtenaster from the case and slid it within, attaching the accompanying dust cartridges to slots within to prevent them from moving in transit. Once finished, he returned the case to the safe and sealed it. He had succeeded, his mission a success, once they returned and Klein took the tray away it'd be all set to be returned to its rightful owner.

"We'll get you outta here Weiss," Flynt whispered to himself as the clone faded from existence. "I'll get to help you…and stick it to a Schnee at the same time. Everybody wins."

 **Kuroyuri…**

Ruby was frozen in fear as the armored man entered the house, taking a seat across the flame from her. They were in the crumbling remains of a house now open to the elements. The walls were destroyed and discolored, the barest hint of a snowflake and leaves could be seen on one of the less-damaged patches.

"Where…?"

"You are safe, as are your friends," Ember assured her. "My compatriot's zeal to acquire you caused him to go too far and for that I apologize. Other than that, we will set out for my mistress' realm after rest."

"Cinder?" Ruby struggled on her bindings but it was no good. "Why are you doing this? What did I do to…?"

"You hurt her Ms. Rose," the knight interrupted. "As I said, she wishes to see you."

"To…kill me?" Ruby's face paled as she read his words, he quickly shook his head in response.

"Not as long as I stand, I promised your safety did I not?"

"But I didn't hurt her!" Ruby shouted in frustration, clearly trying to hide how scared she was. "My shot missed…I hit…" She stopped at those words, looking away to hide the tears welling in her eyes. Ember tilted his head almost quizzically.

"You…don't remember what you did to her?" The confused and scared expression told him all he needed to know. She had no idea of what occurred after her eyes turned that terrifying expression, one of pure silver.

"She led the attack," Ruby started to justify. "So many people died, Beacon destroyed, Cinder…"

"I am WELL aware of my Lady's sins," Ember interrupted calmly yet stern with a raised gauntlet. "Such accusations will not sway me if that is your intent."

Ruby looked on shocked, exasperated that he knew and still followed. "If that is true, then you can't possibly believe what she's doing is right! You have a choice to walk away!"

"I can't believe, however much I would wish it," he admitted. "But you are wrong; there is no choice for me here. I don't even want to imagine what she would become if I did something so…selfish."

"So you'll just blindly follow her orders?"

"If I did that then you would already be dead Ms. Rose." He admitted, yet there was no hint of threat or malice in his voice. Decisions are not so black and white as the fables make them out to be. I care about her, and the best place to help is by her side."

The red huntress had shuffled up into an uneasy sitting position, her hands bound in front of her. She was still panting heavily, the fever passing but not fully gone. She'd be in an exhausted state for several days at least, more than enough time to reach an airship. From her new angle she got a better look at the house they were in. A thick layer of dust permeated the area; clearly nothing had called it home in many years. Broken beams, decaying wood, unfinished and now-flaking wallpaper all painted a picture of what happened to human creations after their abandonment. The nearby table didn't even seem out of place despite a pristine circular indentation in the dust signifying something had resided there until just after their arrival to be claimed by the knight in black before her awakening.

"She's wasting her time," Ruby replied glumly. "It's not like I'd be a threat very long anyway."

Ruby could not tell, but Cinder's knight raised an eyebrow, uncertain to her meaning.

"I did something terrible, something I never wanted to do and had no idea how close I came to it every day until after it happened. I'm working to stop Cinder and whoever else caused the attack on Beacon. But I am done fighting, I…I don't want to hurt anyone. If your partner hadn't attacked my uncle and friends…"

"I heard you were trying to be a grand huntress, like in the fables," Ember remarked, surprised by her words though his voice was noticeably hesitant as if he carefully chose every word. "I find it hard to believe that you'd give that all up from one attack."

Ember saw the tears again, and the façade around his identity began to crack.

"She's going to use you too!" She finally blurted out. "That's all she does, she manipulated everyone at the school, pretended to be our friend but was working to destroy EVERYTHING the entire time." The young huntress was venting all she had bottled up since waking up in Patch and would not be interrupted. "She twists and uses others, she made one of my friends care so much he...he wouldn't admit what she was."

"And leapt before your bullet?" Ruby didn't even question how he knew.

"I killed him all because of her, for his sake I can't just walk away from this, not yet. I'll stop her, then...I don't know, but I won't be anywhere near fighting."

"He wouldn't want that," the knight muttered, his word choice not quite as refined, the voice lighter. He had been unaware of the blame Ruby cast upon herself and it struck him to the core at the realization and cause of her tears. "He died trying to stop an impossible situation as either outcome would have crushed him."

"Is that what Cinder told you? I don't see how someone who can do the things she did could care about anyone."

"In that you are wrong Ruby, she cared for him and him for her…more than you know. A darkened heart is not completely drained of humanity. He would not want you to lose that spark of life because of him."

Ruby's eyes squinted at those words, slowly rising up towards his. His voice had gotten less deep, more casual…and his use of her first name stood out. The words he used echoed a similar conversation she'd had in front of an easel just before her world had crumbled.

"What did you say?"

"I mean," his voice deepened as he turned and fumbled with something in his pocket. "If all goes as I intend you will survive the encounter, it would be a great shame to know you dropped off the map and abandoned your resolve out of fear. I believe it's time to report in."

Ruby looked on confused as he produced a small glass orb from his pack, placing it on a shelf overlooking both of them. He rubbed it gently, causing lights to form within and forcing her to squint. Within a matter of seconds, the shape of Cinder Fall shimmered into being. The young huntress looked her up and down, taking note of the new appearance. She looked more refined yet terrifying in her new robe; the longer left sleeve was obvious and she could almost make out a black mask behind her bangs obscuring the left eye and the rough tissue of a large scar protruding from beneath.

 _Did…I do that?_

Ember fell to a knee before the orb, head bowed low.

"Lady Fall," he started, Ruby could not help but notice Cinder's silent groan, as if annoyed somewhat by his choice of words. "I would like to report success; I am currently seeking a route back to the Keep with Ruby Rose."

Cinder glanced to the side as if checking permission to reply. Her gaze fell on Ruby in the back whom she could clearly see, looking her up and down. A shiver ran through the young girl's spine at her look which at first seemed absolutely terrifying yet flattened after a moment. She looked almost bored or disappointed as if to say "is this it?" She immediately followed up with hand motions Ruby did not recognize though the knight appeared to, his eyes were glued to them, following each movement.

"That is…wonderful to hear. If I may be so bold, have you come to a decision on my request before parting?" Cinder's knight seemed to tense up as he awaited her answer.

The young Maiden's visage darkened, almost in reflex, her right arm gripped the left covered by a wide sleeve. She squeezed it so tightly Ruby couldn't imagine that it didn't hurt, her eyes scowled towards him. Cinder nodded only once.

"WHO?" Ruby finally shouted towards the armored knight once more, this time with purpose behind her thoughts. "Who are you?"

Cinder raised a hand, about to make the signs required to give her command. Ruby could hear the clenching of his metal gauntlets in anticipation.

A loud crash from above drew his attention as what remained of the roof started to cave in. Ember leapt, shoving Ruby to the ground as he loomed over her. The beam crashed against his back, shielding her from harm and was the last image his Maiden saw before the sphere was crushed into fragments.

"Stay down," he commanded as he shook off the debris, ensuring none fell on her. Looking up, he surveyed the cause of the collapse.

A large creature towered over them as high as the building having just smashed through with its elongated arms at the ends of each was talons sharper than any blade. Its body was that of a fearsome horse while the horrific imitation of a rider was fused with its back. The humanoid form merged atop it bore the mask of Grimm depicting a twisted smile with horns bending outward and back, its limbs twitching unnaturally as it scanned the rubble in search of them. It searched greedily, ravenous and desperately to find the sources of the intense emotions which had drawn it away from the mountain cave it called home.

Ember's visage paled behind his mask as he surveyed the monster's body. It was covered in numerous weapons, swords, axes, arrows and other means by which past huntsman and warriors across the decades had attempted to slay it and all failed. What truly caused his blood to boil was an impressively sized sword lodged through the humanoid rider and even into the equine body. It was so deep in the monstrous Grimm that it had held there for many years despite the constant pain it brought. A blade he fully recognized, eliciting a spark of anger which drew the Grimm's gaze upon his, though in that moment Ruby could not determine which was more terrifying to behold…

 **A torn young man confronts the creature responsible for his childhood sorrow. As the cold melts from one former heiress' heart, so too does it gather around his, unleashing the rage of frustration and pain against a more than deserving target. As Always, I hope everyone Reads and Reviews…but most of all Enjoys! :D**


	11. The Enemy of My Enemy

**TheCarlosInferno: That it is…now to see what they'll do about it.**

 **william bragg 165: Thank you :D**

 **Lelouch of Zero: I am glad you enjoyed it, when seeing Volume 3 I thought that his backstory would have meshed so well with Weiss'…alas we never saw him again lol. I can't imagine Cinder would be pleased, without the orb however she'll have to wait until the dust clears and he returns to explain himself.**

 **And with that...ONTO THE SHOW!**

"He is around here, he has to be," Olivia alerted the rest as they entered the long crumbled gates of Kuroyuri.

 _ **Fun time boss, give me a few minutes at the reigns. I'll show you a world of a good…**_

Team RNJRR leapt back as the building beside them exploded, a familiar dark-suited individual slamming into the stone pavement and denting it as he slid to a stop a few feet before them. It was Ember, no doubt about it. He had his gunlance drawn yet with only one hand, in the other was cradled Ruby, her body scuffed and bruised. She was breathing heavy, eyes barely fluttering open. From the look of it he had tilted mid-flight so that he took the brunt of the impact.

A dark hatred welled up in Olivia again at his sight, the man serving Cinder Fall, the woman responsible for Horatio's death. She could not blame the thoughts of what she wished to befall Cinder on Hildie, not this time.

"Hey!" Olivia shouted as Team RNJRR took a stance with weapons trained towards him. "Give Ruby back now or else we…" Her threat never materialized as the knight unexpectedly handed the beaten huntress to her, his bandaged and broken-helmed visage turning to her harshly.

"KEEP HER SAFE!" He roared as he turned back towards the wall he had blown through, bringing his gunlance to bear.

The cannonball erupted forth, seemingly hurtling towards no target until the debris cleared. A grotesque elongated limb intercepted the projectile before it could reach, deflecting it harmlessly into a nearby building to explode harmlessly. A second shell was equally as ineffectual. Ember took off running towards the horrific Grimm combining features of a horse and rider, lance extended to skewer his foe. The creature saw the threat, rearing up as the arms grabbed the lance, stopping its advance before it could collide.

"What is that thing?" Jaune asked as Olivia gently slumped Ruby into his arms, her rifle armed and trained on the battle ahead of them. Based on Ren and Nora's terrified expressions mixed with rage, they recognized the unique Grimm before them.

"Get her to safety!" Ren shouted as Jaune hastily complied. Ruby was in bad shape, they would be happy to let Cinder's man and the Grimm fight it out…but they had nowhere they could go and no clue how extensive Ruby's injuries were. Even so, neither Nora nor Ren had any qualms against fighting the colossal monstrosity ahead.

The Grimm, known to the region as the Nuckelavee, gripped Ember in its powerful three-fingered claws, trapping his arms at his side while lifting the man off the ground. He could do little but struggle…and pull the trigger of his equally incapacitated weapon. The dust-infused cannonball struck the ground beside the front right hoof, causing it to stagger and release him. He dropped to the ground just as a high velocity bullet tore through the air, impacting the Nuckelavee in the center of its masked-forehead. The bullet struck and skidded, leaving a trail of minimal damage like a scar across its face. Pink explosions courtesy of the team grenadier detonated across its back, causing it to howl in pain, but not fall.

Ren and Nora strafed around it, trying to split the focus of its impossible long arms as Ember dove beneath, driving the lance into its belly. The horse reared up once more, delivering a titanic kick square in his back, sending the juggernaut flying through another wall. Bullets continued to rain down upon it to little effect as Jaune leaned Ruby against a tree he considered a safe distance, looking her over one last time before joining the fray.

 _ **You're tickling it at best! Just look at the weapon collection its back; you need to get in closer or not at all!**_

 _Shut…up, I can distract it; maybe find a weak point to exploit!_

 _ **And miss out on the fun? Your Jackal might actually do something close up; back here we're as useful as aura on a Grimm!**_

 _I'll switch to the larger rounds, try and…_

 _ **I am tired of playing second fiddle, hope you had fun the last few years cause it's MY turn!**_

Olivia's body seized up, forcing her down to one knee as she squeezed her eyes shut in pain. Her knuckles turned white as they gripped Jackal's barrel and trigger powerfully, she could not move aside from sudden, unnatural twitches.

 _No, you can't!_

"I just did," Olivia's lips whispered in a voice no longer her own. The last vestiges of her blonde hair gave way to silver and shimmered in the moonlight.

After several seconds, she stood to her feet, eyes still shut but fingers caressing the contours of the rifle before sliding up and down her own sides as if investigating herself. Finally, her eyes opened, the spheres found within were a pitch black, the iris' fully obscured by the void consuming her mind. After so many years of isolation, she was free.

"Now THIS is what I'm talking about!" She cried with joy, her rifle converting to the SMG and mace form, igniting it with a flick of her arm. "Time for some fun!" With that final announcement, she rushed towards the Grimm in the distance, fully prepared to join the fray heedless of friend or foe unfortunate enough to get between her and the first activity she had experienced for herself. As she sneered with glee, a frantic screaming echoed in her mind unheard by all others.

 **Patch…**

Yang wiped the sweat off her brow as she stood up to oversee her work. A grin of success graced her lips as she looked over Bumblebee which had been woefully unattended during the months stashed away and covered. She had been working all morning since sneaking out of the house supping it up and making the repairs needed to get the old girl up and running again.

The blonde huntress had been quite busy; though it was more for her own preference she had started spray painting her new arm yellow to match her hair and Ember Celica. The others, except maybe her father, were worthless when it came to Bumblebee…not that she would have let any near her baby.

"I don't remember saying you were ready," Tai's voice came through the open door, the older huntsman leaning against it nonchalantly.

"Oh yea?" She smiled back in her usual cocky manner that she loved to use to rile him up. "You're going to try and stop me?"

Tai had been putting her and Pyrrha through the ringer just as much as Roland the last several weeks, even going so far as to give her a rundown of her semblance. He warned her how it was useful for getting out of a pinch, but when over-relied upon would drain her aura needlessly. She fully intended to take the advice to heart.

 _I need…to think, or else something like what happened against Adam will…may happen again._

"No," he chuckled, stretching his arm as if in pain. "I think I'm still too sore after our last fight, the kid is getting handy with that thing too. Never thought I'd see you let someone else use it."

"He's earned it, plus Roland's always been a fast learner."

"I suppose he'll be going with you."

"I doubt he'd say no after I tell him, I haven't exactly been keeping it a secret I'm planning to head out there."

"And you're…sure you want to go?" Tai asked with a step forward, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Yang stared him down; worried he may be up to something.

"No tricks," he raised his hands defensively. "But there is always room for you here, even Roland and Pyrrha. You three could live here as long as you need in peace, you don't have to rush out half-cocked like you always do."

Yang couldn't believe her ears.

"You are asking me to stay here…with a boy…willingly?" She knew something had to be up. "You aren't plotting some way of getting him out of the way are you?"

"Please, I had at least two dozen plans of how to bury him where Zwei would never find him, but I have to admit the kid grew on me. Sometimes you learn the most about someone by fighting them, and I've gotten an ample feel for him."

"Me too," she sighed remembering happier times at Beacon.

"As your father it is my job to distrust him at every turn, but I figure for everything he's done I can give him one shot. If you do leave…I'll miss you, I hope I'd get more than a letter."

"Dad…" Yang groaned, hating it when he got mushy like this.

"I wanted to make a poster, though that might have given it away," Roland appeared behind him, Pyrrha at his side still limping with the Atlas boot. She swore the pain was lessening, unfortunately no one could tell if she was stretching the truth or not. Both noticed each of the two had full packs of supplies and food despite Yang not having asked them about joining her yet. "Your subtlety needs work, you snuck out this morning alright but the racket from here could wake a Goliath."

Roland had given himself a makeover, first having shaved and fixed his hair as straight as he could. He wore the same white undershirt he was seldom seen without, yet overlapping it he kept one of Tai's vests he'd requisitioned since his stay. Adjusted twin pauldrons similar to the one on her father's right shoulder adorned his arms. He, however, wore one on both arms after adding double thick layers for better defense. Deep-red pants and white shoes rounded off his attire as well as the fully repaired and repurposed shield on his back and Ember Celica on his right arm.

"If it's alright," he motioned towards Tai pointing out the articles of his wardrobe he had been forced to claim.

"Take them," he assured the young man. "My closet was in desperate need of a cleaning out anyway. Where are you headed?"

"Mistral, correct?" Pyrrha asked while storing her pack in a compartment on the back of Bumblebee, having deduced they would pursue Ruby to Haven.

"If they got an airship they should be at Haven by now."

"But no guarantee," Yang corrected Roland's assumptions. "With communications down we need a surer way," she turned to her father with a sigh. "I'm going to see mom."

"I thought you might," he admitted having figured out her plan. "I suppose Qrow already told you where she has been hiding these days?" She nodded.

Roland audibly groaned at the prospect, remembering the last time he had, however briefly, met Yang's estranged mother. He could practically feel the burning in his chest and broken arm again. He shivered in anticipation only noticed by Yang, his own eyes darting to her remaining arm of flesh and bone.

 _I'll be there for you Yang, we'll help Ruby and stop whoever is responsible for…everything._

"And you're sure about this? No offense but the three of you aren't exactly the most intimidating force," Tai's look drifted from Pyrrha's leg to Roland's new weapon he had practiced and trained with yet still had to learn and Yang's arm.

"We have to," Pyrrha replied first confidently. "The others need our help, after what happened at Beacon…"

"We can't let it happen at Haven too, even more so with Ruby and the others going there."

Tai smiled proudly with a hint of sorrow in his eyes. He tried to prepare himself for the worst ever since Yang and Ruby voiced their desire to become huntresses. Very few lived to an old age in that profession, but they had wanted to do it, and he understood why his little girls would want to follow in her footsteps.

"I guess that's that, just…take care of each other."

"No worry about that Mr. Xiao Long," Roland balled up his fists, cocking Ember Celica to show how apt he had gotten under his tutelage.

"I'll try not to," he approached the young man as Yang and Pyrrha prepped the bike for its departure once all were ready. "Just watch her back as much as she watches yours." He poked Roland's chest with a stern finger, yet not enough to push him back or meant in true malice. "But watch yourself around her, I get what you need to do but she is still my daughter."

"I know sir," he repositioned the shield hanging on his back to be a little higher. "I won't let anything happen to her."

Tai's eyes narrowed on the young man, suddenly becoming very serious and causing a twinge of uneasiness in the young man. "Don't make a promise you can't keep," he warned. "I know full well you're going against…something big. I doubt you wanted to let anything happen to her at Beacon.

Roland's eyes fell in shame; his best hadn't been enough before.

"But you're doing what you think is right, that is really all any of us can do," he lowered his voice just for Roland. "I know you're used to guarding her, letting Yang take the offensive, but you can't do that your whole life. You have something now," he tapped the compact Ember Celica on his right wrist. "Fight at her side, not in front or behind her."

Roland nodded, raising his head high at his meaning. Unexpectedly, he stepped forward and gave the larger huntsman a tight hug, causing Tai to freeze. Yang noticed the action and winked to her father playfully though still had not heard a word of their exchange. She still wasn't certain what awaited them in Mistral, but come what may…she was with friends.

"I think Bumblebee might be a tight fit with three," Tai finally pointed out as Roland released him. "But I'm sure I can find something in red somewhere around here…"

 **Mistral Train…**

The barrage continued, shell after shell impacting the Grimm's hide to utterly no effect. Its roar echoed throughout the cars, forcing everyone gathered to cover their ears. The Arrakin burrowed under, its passing knocking part of the train off the track, wedging them in place making escape impossible.

"It's avoiding the electrified tracks," an older man with a thin spindly mustache wailed. "That and the cannons have always managed to drive it off before."

 _ **Oh no…**_

"This creature has attacked you before?" Oscar's neighbor demanded, recognizing the uniform as the conductor. The fact he also carried the remote control for the defense turrets was unsettling as it implied he also doubled as head of security.

"A-about every other week but we've never had this trouble before! A few volleys, an attempt to ram us shocking the fight out of it…it's never been this strong! I thought the last encounter would be the last for sure…we blew it clean in two! Oh I knew I should have hired a huntsman!"

 _ **If he had hired even a second year student they could have told him that Arrakin adapt to their environment. Over time one will learn from any attempt to kill it that does not succeed, it was only a matter of time before its carapace solidified to be resistant to their guns. Then of course there is their regeneration factor…**_

"You don't need a huntsman," he replied with his deep voice before cracking his knuckles. "Wait here."

Oscar and the conductor watched eyes agape as the burly man punched the hatch above them so hard it flew open leading to the roof. In a single powerful leap he was out scarcely fitting through the opening. The two spectators leaned out the window to watch the scene before them.

"H-he's insane! What can he hope to do against that thing if our guns can't dent it?"

The lone stranger hopped over the side, watching where the worm-like Grimm was coming about, the tracks kicked up by its passing more than obvious. Seeming to sense his presence, it changed course, burrowing straight towards him.

"He's going to get killed!" Oscar shouted, scrambling for the hatch the man had just gone through followed by the conductor clearly trying to urge him back inside.

 _ **Perhaps not,**_ Ozpin remarked, his voice oddly calm despite the situation. _**Hazel is an…extraordinary individual.**_

Before it reached him, the Arrakin emerged, lunging through the air towards its newfound prey. The great maw opened to swallow him whole. It did not get the chance, seconds before he would have found himself being digested, the behemoth known as Hazel leapt into the air gripping his palms together into a massive fist. With a colossal roar he brought them down with his full strength into the mask of Grimm. The white armor cracked slightly as the worm crashed into the Earth, denting it upon impact with a drawn out squeal of pain.

"Holy sh…"

The conductor's words were drowned out by cheers from within the train of the passengers who had witnessed the first strike. For a moment, the terror gripping them at the seemingly invincible Grimm had abated…at least until it started moving again.

Hazel expected it, leaping again to avoid its renewed frenzy. Somehow, he managed to grip a spike protruding from its back and was pulled into the air with its thrashing. The Arrakin was wholly focused on its new opponent, ignoring the train and giving him no further chance for another strike as powerful as the first. Despite being forced to hold on, the burly fighter delivered savage jabs to its back whenever he could, jostling the beast but failing to crack its hide a second time.

"What can I do?" Oscar whispered harshly to his companion. He had no weapons, no training but he couldn't just stand by and do nothing, it didn't feel right.

 _ **There is nothing you can do; Mr. Rainart seems to be planning to fight it alone. Anyone else entering the fray would only get in his way.**_

"Who is he?"

 _ **A story for later and we are not allies, had he known I was with you he would have assuredly been far less cordial. It is best to stay back for now…**_

"Then what good am I?" Oscar shouted in frustration. That thing out there could eat the ground, burrow as fast as a train and take punishment from the impressive armaments. Hazel was still riding the Grimm, but making no headway. Even if he could take it, at the rate he was going it could come down to attrition.

"H-he'll win I am sure," the conductor repeated over and over. "Surely he would not have fought it otherwise."

Hazel planted his legs into the ground, grinding into it as he strived to drag the Grimm to a stop. Somehow he actually succeeded, burying a powerful fist into the crack again, widening it somewhat. Oscar was stunned at how one man could be so strong, despite the admittedly heroic actions of the man; the trepidation sensed from Ozpin never waned. Already Hazel was raising his fists again to pummel the weakened worm…and then it rolled over.

Before he could get a new grip on it, the Arrakin slammed its maw into the ground, burrowing deep and kicking up chunks of rock. Even Hazel was forced to protect himself as it disappeared down into the depths. As the dark tail finally vanished, he was left standing there all alone, an eerie silence settling over the area.

 _ **That won't last long,**_ Ozpin mused as the passenger cheered his praises. _**The next time it returns it will be even stronger, an entire team may be required to…**_

Even as a voice in Oscar's head, the older headmaster gasped as the ground shook once more, a landslide occurring beneath Hazel's feet. Before he had a chance to move, the massive maw appeared again, swallowing his body and all around him. Oscar could see the widening of his eyes as he disappeared within, the Arrakin reaching high into the air in triumph as the conductor let out a shrill wail at the sight.

"Fire…fire…fire!" He shouted, pressing the same button on his controller again and again. The cannons continued their barrage once more despite the complete lack of reaction from the intended target.

 _I-it's a giant worm, right?_ The young farmhand's mind was racing at what had just happened. _If it adapts to attempts to kill it, then it is just like the normal tiny ones back home. They can survive underwater, even without food and water for weeks. Squishing works but that one is a little big for that, cut them in half and they regrow their tail…_

"But not their head!" Oscar looked closer to the Arrakin currently in the process of looking over the train, no doubt planning its next attack. From the looks of it, the fighter's sacrifice had succeeded in widening the crack made located just below what would be categorized as its head.

 _He must have had the same idea…had had to!_

"Hey, if we…"

The conductor was kneeling down, hands over his head as he was clearly still out of it with terror. He gripped the security remote yet it was firing randomly, most of the shots hitting wide of the Grimm and what few impacted its body still doing no true damage.

"Hey…mister?" Oscar called out to the man who would not acknowledge him. "Hey!"

 _ **He has succumbed to the fear that the Grimm instill in humans. If we are to break him out of we need to be tactful, understanding and…**_

Oscar slapped the older gentleman across the face; it wasn't as hard as he could out of uncertainty yet thankfully caused the man to pay attention to the relative child standing before him.

"Can you target those guns?" He asked, surprised at how confident he was acting, chalking it up to Ozpin's influence of strategies and tactics rolling around in their head. "I dunno…more precisely?"

"Y-yes," he replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But what good will it…?"

Oscar pointed to the crack, not too far down from the maw of the great beast, the same that Hazel had focused his last actions on making. The man understood with a shaky nod, fiddling with the controller he punched in a series of commands. In response, each of the remaining turrets turned in unison, coming to bear at the desired target.

 _ **Not yet!**_

"Not yet!" Oscar repeated, heeding the voice in his head stressing to wait until the opportune moment.

The Arrakin roared, remaining above the surface as it tore through the land, ripping through all in its path towards the immobilized train.

"Now?" The man no longer questioned allowing a fourteen-year old stranger to call out the command.

 _ **It can still change course for a bit more…not yet!**_

"N-not yet!" The creature was almost upon them, another few seconds and it would no longer matter.

 _ **NOW!**_

"FIRE!" Oscar shouted, covering his ears as the concussive barrage threatened to burst his eardrums.

Every shell struck its mark, round after round exploded into the weakened carapace, shattering off chunk after chunk of the Grimm's foul skin. The beast was stopped, snapping its head to the side to block successive shots. Oscar fell backwards in fear, they hit it with an entire salvo, certainly hurting it badly…but not enough to kill it. The Arrakin slowly, terrifyingly twisted towards the two lone shapes upon the train, its eyeless gaze narrowing towards them knowingly.

The crack suddenly exploded outward, releasing another thunderous roar as the creature swatted to the side, unable to escape the pain that assailed it. Another burst from within and another, until at last a familiar burly fist punched outward into the evening air. Hazel emerged, his green and black clothes covered in the smoky substance which made up all Grimm, his eyes burning with anger. Without restraint he ripped out of the Arrakin, literally splitting its neck at the seam so close to what would be considered the head that it could not hope to regenerate as it had before. It limply fell to the ground, shattering all around it with no energy left.

Oscar snapped to his senses, dropping down the side, rushing as close as he dared at the unmoving corpse despite Ozpin's warnings and the fact no others dared approach. Only the pluming columns of black smoke from the body alerted him that it was safe…the thing was quite dead.

"A-are you alright?" He asked as the mountain of a man brushed himself off, acting like he had just undergone a minor inconvenience.

"The assistance was not required…but appreciated." He answered, turning from the train and starting to walk. "Get back onboard boy, it won't take long to get back on the track to Mistral City."

"Wh-what about you?" They were miles from any known settlements, where could he possibly be going?

"That is none of your concern, I have my errands and you have yours. Perhaps when you see huntsmen for what they are, we may speak again."

 _ **Let him go, we have risked enough.**_

Oscar wouldn't have shouted after him even if Ozpin had not warned him, he had no idea how to react to Hazel's words. He wanted to know why he thought so poorly of huntsmen, how Ozpin knew him and what happened between them. Despite his wishes, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him the unintended passenger wouldn't be so open to sharing. With a heavy heart he returned to the train, ready to continue his course towards Mistral and this ally of Ozpin's to point him in the right direction.

 **Somewhere Dark…**

Olivia pounded on the invisible barrier separating her from the battle, unable to do anything but watch her body act without her. No matter what she tried, she couldn't break through; her friends were fighting for their lives and in that moment she was distracted, Hildie had made her move.

 _There HAS to be a way out of here, if she found a way out then so can I._

"Be sure to eat everything honey."

Olivia froze at the familiar voice, with ice in her chest she turned, finding a dinner table setting before her. An older couple sat around it, a toddler with dull blonde hair and pink eyes poking at her food scowling at the selection presented her. To anyone unaware of the context it would appear to be a normal situation of family life.

 _No…nonononono, please not again._

"Mommy," the little girl started, looking up at her with the most innocent of eyes.

 _Shut up, please just shut up,_ Olivia begged, desperate to prevent it from happening again.

"Mommy, why do you love men other than daddy?"

Such had been the question that started all their woes, she didn't understand then, how could she? She hadn't seen anything; she just knew it, just…perceived it, her semblance having awoken and allowing her to see the secret. They had argued, how long they argued as Olivia hid in her room wondering what she did wrong. She closed her eyes and pushed the sounds away, pushed away everything including the power that had allowed her to see what had made them so angry. All went black, she didn't remember what happened but next she knew she was being found by a huntsman shifting through the wreckage of her home and town.

It was the same story of so many places; the Grimm had come and destroyed everything. They found no one else, not even her parents alive, yet they had ignored the small girl hiding under wreckage…the innocent smile still resting on her face. Despite her return of happiness and healing over the accompanying years, the same question ever rested in the back of her mind.

 _Was it my fault? Did the Grimm come because of me?_

 _ **It was a simple question, just because they didn't want you to know…**_

 _I shouldn't have asked it._

Her friend, the voice Olivia knew ever since she could remember was always there. Hildie looked out for her, told her who was nice and who was mean, even secrets she just knew somehow. She didn't even know what a semblance was back then, how could she have even realized hers was already active.

 _I'm never doing that again…EVER!_

 _ **Everybody has secrets; we can't very well avoid that.**_

 _We can avoid looking._

 _ **Then how will you know who to trust?**_

 _Like everybody else, just stop looking._

 _ **That is like asking you to stop breathing.**_

 _I don't need to see the secrets of others, people need that privacy. I…I don't need to, I can just be normal._

 _ **WH…what are you doing?**_

 _I don't want you around anymore Hildie…I don't want that power. Just, just let me be normal._

 _ **That isn't you! You can't just push me away! What about all the times…!**_

And then there was silence, no voice, no feeling on whether someone was hiding something or insight into their secrets…there was nothing. Over the years, Olivia learned of aura and semblances, what Hildie likely was along with her apparent ability to see the beyond the surface of others and later push herself out of their perception. It fit perfectly with her desire to remain beneath the radar, no one special. The memories of her life played out around her as if on repeat, soon she saw familiar towers of Bastion Academy.

A thirteen-year old Olivia wandered the hallways, booklet in hand seeking her first class since being accepted. They were much larger than what she was used to, a commotion around the corner drew her attention.

"I heard about you," another girl wearing a 2nd year uniform remarked. "You look human but you came from Menagerie. Sure you aren't hiding a tail?"

A pair of students was blocking the path of a third, another first year the same age as Olivia by the look of her. She had poofy auburn hair and bronzed skin. Despite being surrounded she looked focused and serious, attempting to step around the pair but was cut off at each attempt.

"I wish to proceed to class," she announced. "Please move aside."

"So you aren't a faunus, but not really human either are you? Why don't you go…?"

"Is there a problem here?"

The student accosting the young woman swung instinctively towards the voice, completely unaware that Olivia was standing right behind her. She had grown accustomed to shifting out of the perception of others, without having announced her presence; they would have never realized she was there. As a result, her aim was off, the blow passing harmlessly an inch from Olivia's face, punching full force into the wall.

"Gahh!" She growled in pain, cradling her sore hand. "Who are you?"

"Olivia Ramus," she replied cheerily, leaning in close with her smile ever present. "I seem to have gotten lost; the Headmaster pointed me this way and…"

"Tch," the woman pulled back along with her friend at mention of the head of the school. Making sure to not say another word, the two slinked off, leaving them alone.

"You know the Headmaster?" The auburn-haired huntress in training asked, recovering several books clearly knocked to the floor before her arrival.

"Nah," Olivia admitted while kneeling to help," but it got them running didn't it? Don't worry about those two." Her pink eyes shone brightly, getting a good feeling from the beleaguered student. "What is your name?"

"Esmerelda, Esmerelda Moto."

"Pleasure to meet you!" She extended her hand, gripped securely by Esmerelda who suddenly wore a truly sinister expression on her face.

 _Wait,_ Olivia froze in confusion. _She didn't look like that, she looked happy, we've been friends ever since!_ The young woman was noticing a disturbing pattern, the events she witnessed were playing out as she remembered them but everything appeared more…twisted.

Her parent's faces, when she broached the question warped in extreme anger and rage when in reality she specifically recalled their looks of utter bewilderment, confusion and later sorrow. Ezzy had never looked at her so maliciously, yet here they were as if they had the worst intentions imaginable beneath the surface. Was it this place? This pocket of her mind she had created to hide away her powers and Hildie, was it possible this is what she had experienced while being suppressed all those years? All the negative emotions of Olivia's mind, Hildie's words came back to the forefront of her thoughts.

 **You got all the sunshine and rainbows while I got the cobwebs and bile.**

 _She saw…the worst in everyone from in here. It's all my fault, if only I hadn't…_

Olivia curled up, trying to look away as the memories continued playing in front of her each twisted a little bit from what she remembered. While behind her, Hildie continued fighting while in full control, trying to get as much out of her recovered freedom as was possible.

 **Schnee Manor…**

Weiss finished the last of her tea, the food already long gone. She had been provided her evening meal before being left to her "grounding." Fortunately, the tray used for her meal was noticeably larger than most…and thicker.

Weiss drew Myrtenaster proudly from the hidden compartment which unfolded into a full briefcase she could pack; the same Klein had often used to sneak her presents, treats and the occasional letter from Winter or mother when they couldn't make it. He always did his best to make her time as happy as he could after she turned ten and the truth had come out about why Jacques had married her mother. The weapon was not alone, after loading the dust cartridges included she unfolded a crumpled up letter within.

 _Hope this helps Weiss, wish I could be there when you bust out but unfortunately I doubt I'd be able to get there unnoticed. He'll be waiting for you in the library. He said they made sure the guards patrolling the hanger will be delayed just long enough to find a ship, sorry I can't do more. Just get out of here and do what you feel is best, we'll hold down the fort. Stay cool Weiss, we can perform another duet when you get back._

 _P.S. You should probably destroy this letter._

She quickly complied, reducing the paper to ashes with a single flick of Myrtenaster, taking a deep reassuring breath she slowly opened her door. The halls were empty, other than the lack of light it wasn't terribly different than during the day. For added silence, the young huntress had slipped off her shoes and went barefoot. The marble floors were no place for heels. The library was located past the main common room which meant before then she'd have to pass…

 _Father's office, if I can just slip past…_

The sound of something shattering, a bottle most likely caused Weiss to silently duck for cover, worried she may have been spotted. Fortunately, the sound had come from inside soon followed by raised voice.

"You need to control yourself!" The deep tone of General Ironwood gave away the current visitor meeting with her father.

"You're talking to ME about control? Do you even hear what you're saying?"

"I am basing everything on my report from YOUR daughter."

 _Winter?_ Weiss could not resist, she snuck closer, straining her ear to listen in.

"A daughter YOU stole!"

"We are not getting into that again! Winter is one of my best, if she is telling me there's a threat in Mistral I…"

"Good evening, isn't it rather late to be out in the halls?"

Weiss snapped around, a familiar cheerful smile to greet her as Penny appeared behind her. Just where had she been hiding?"

"Is everyth…" Her greeting was cut off as Weiss locked a palm over her mouth, raising a finger, her desperate face begging for silence hoping she hadn't been overheard. She dared not speak, only shaking her head over and over, eyes pleading for understanding.

Penny's features softened as she glanced from her expression to Myrtenaster and the briefcase in hand. She looked at Weiss with drooping eyes but understood its meaning, taking her hand she turned to lead the former heiress away…just as the door to the office opened a crack.

The head of General Ironwood peered out, spotting them immediately. His face had grown even sterner since the last time Weiss had seen it. He clearly hadn't shaved in days and dark bags rested beneath his eyes, his hair had more grey in it than she remembered and was split in several places. The two froze at his gaze, his eyes narrowing towards them analyzing the situation. He sighed loudly, loud enough to be heard by Jacques still sitting at his desk.

"Another report Penny?" He asked, confusing them until he turned back. "I'll be back in a moment Jacques."

"Take your time with your 'little girl'," he grumbled within, clearly displeased with their discussions. Ironwood closed the door behind him.

"You are leaving?" He asked. Weiss' mouth flopped open as she tightened her grip on Myrtenaster. She didn't want to fight her way out, but if she had to she wouldn't hold back. "Penny," the general placed his hands on her shoulder suddenly, not needing an answer. "I want you to go with her."

"B-but General Sir," she started with confusion and a salute. "My place is here, you helped make me and I could never…"

"You have to," he pulled her into a hug, cupping the back of her head gently. Only Weiss could see her shocked look at his words. "I've done my best, but I am losing the debate. It won't be long before the council starts commanding us to treat you as a weapon rather than a girl. If you don't leave now…I won't be able to stop them."

"I…" She didn't know what to say. "I will…follow your orders."

"This isn't an order," he kissed the top of her head like the father he always wanted to be to her. Weiss' heart skipped with a hint of jealousy at what she had wanted long ago. Ironwood had been trying to find a way to keep her safe, and now that moment had landed in his lap, he had to take it. "Please, I'll send word to him to be ready." With that final word he turned and reentered the office, their previous arguments continuing after a few moments of silence.

"Penny?" Weiss whispered after her friend stood there unmoving for several seconds. By the time she turned around, the young woman couldn't believe her eyes.

 _Is she crying?_

"I…I presume you had a means to exit the premises?" Weiss nodded. "Then please lead the way, we will not have much time."

With those final words, Weiss hesitantly continued her path towards the library. She never imagined escaping with another person. With their current plan, Klein would get them to the hangar…and freedom.

 **Kuroyuri…**

No one recognized the woman who had once been Olivia Ramus flying towards the Nuckelavee, mace slamming into its haunches with a deafening explosion. Jaune barely brought up his shield to prevent the explosion from catching him as well after ensuring Ruby's safety. Her combat was wild, ferocious and erratic; no one was safe from becoming potential collateral damage. After getting her blow in, still smiling gleefully she danced away barely taking an ugly scratch to her back she ignored.

RNJRR was encircling the creature staying in motion as Jaune had advised. Nora and Ren at a distance as Jaune tried to get close only to receive a back kick into the chest for his attempt. Their teammate formerly known as Olivia heeded no strategies and attacked where she wished.

A new explosion collided with the monster as Ember launched his last cannonball into its head. Despite that coupled with the small arms from Ren strafing around it and Nora's accompanying fire, they weren't even staggering the creature. How many years had this Grimm seen in its time walking Remnant to have grown so powerful? The same strength that had allowed it to overwhelm Kuroyuri and dozens other homes in decades past now brought to bear on this fledgling team and one lone knight. Before RNJRR arrived it had smashed Ember about, the hardy warrior taking blow after blow as his own fell short and in that time the creature did what it had mastered from survival.

It had learned.

Where crushing, smashing and otherwise pulverizing him had failed, it extended the grotesque arms and seized him by the throat. He stabbed at it repeatedly, his lance piercing yet causing no discernible damage as it closed around his throat and squeezed tightly. His lance clattered to the ground as he pulled at the fingers striving for relief.

The blonde Arc was on his feet again, the two sides having decided silently on a temporary cease fire as they focused on the mutual threat. Sliding his blade into the sheath he revealed the upgrades he had received from the blacksmith using Pyrrha's metal. His new sword utilized the sheath to extend the blade into that of a two-handed variant with red shimmering dust along the edges. With a roar of anger he slashed at the arm holding Ember to seemingly no effect…until the red of his weapon started to glow. The fire dust worked into the sheath detonated, shaking the Grimm and forcing it to release the grip on Cinder's champion, giving him ample time to recover his gunlance.

Its arm swung again and again, occasionally striking a huntsman though many missing as they moved as fast as they could. Hildie bounded in anytime it took its attention away, making it pay though her assaults were just as ineffectual as the others. It was as if they were fighting a juggernaut and was only a matter of time before fatigue would rear its ugly head.

Ren had a look of pure rage in his eyes to match Ember's, the two having lost a father to the same monster. He remembered the roof caving in atop his mother, the last terrified scream of his father as he fought to delay it as Ren ran. Cartwheeling ahead, he leapt, dodged and otherwise became a whirlwind of attacks slashing at every perceivable weak point to no avail. Finally, as he paused for a fraction of a second to breath, it took advantage, catching him in the chest with its arm and pinning him to a wall painfully as its multitude of other limbs kept his teammates at bay, all but one.

Nora transformed Magnihild back to a hammer, rocketing towards the man who had stayed by her side all those years who was being targeted by another arm set to impale him as he was immobilized. Without a moment to spare, she made it, taking the full force of the attack meant for Ren. The young man was snapped briefly out of his anger-fueled fury at the fear she may have been killed, only to sigh in relief at the realization that it had been her hammer caught by the attack, pinning her to the wall.

"Stop looking!" She shouted in embarrassment, she wore a combat skirt and at the higher angle above Ren gave him a clear view up it. The polite ninja looked away despite their situation, missing the grin of satisfaction gracing the Valkyrie's face for a fraction of a second.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Ember roared, plunging from above and lodging his gunlance within the Nuckelavee to join the dozen other weapons protruding from it. Only once there did he realize how close he was to the familiar blade also residing within it.

 _Dad…_

Releasing hold of the black weapon he had acquired in Salem's domain, his fingers closed around the sword of his father, pulling the trigger.

Nothing happened.

A new claw struck him, no longer caring to hold back he used his semblance to its fullest and did not budge, pulling as hard as he could on the weapon to free it. Releasing Ren and Nora, its dark limbs found Ember's throat once more, pulling him free of his goal and hoisting him high into the air.

"You…took everything," he groaned, prying one of the hands off yet failing with the second. "Everything fell apart after…"

The terrifying smile plastered on the white mask stared into his eyes as if in mockery. Could the Grimm tell whom it held in its closing grip or did it merely act this way with all? It spared a single finger from the hand holding him, slowly sinking a long nail into his shoulder bypassing his semblance from the slow speed of the attack. Ember screamed in pain.

A massive two-handed sword slashed down onto the limb, causing the Grimm to shriek in pain and release the captive knight as it focused on the new opponent.

"Hey ugly, remember me?" Qrow Branwen remarked as he slid his sword up the arm, bisecting it up to what could be considered an elbow. He had long since given up chasing Tyrian at the realization that Ember and Ruby were not with him and pursued the others. He had arrived at Kuroyuri too late to help Hattori all those years ago…yet recognized the silhouette of the monster that had slain his friend.

Hildie took advantage, landing on its back and shoving the SMG of Jackal into a bright eye before unloading the full magazine. Blindly, it spun, throwing both her and Qrow clear who rebounded gracefully before rushing back in.

Hildie was not so lucky, having been caught in the chest and ragdolled squarely into Ember's arms. Cinder's knight paled at the black eyes that greeted him beneath the silver hair he did not recognize. The young woman looked back into his, an expression of understanding spreading across her face as she gazed deep into his helmet's sockets, her semblance telling her all she needed to know.

"Well hello loverboy," she sneered back with victory. "Long time no see, you seem to have been naughty in the meanwhile."

"W-what?"

Hildie's smile only widened, there was no hiding from her.

"Nothing is working," he remarked coldly focusing on the moment, noting the other's continued ineffectual attacks including Qrow while massaging the ugly bruises on his throat. "We cannot win like this."

"I'm just getting as much fun as I can, if you have a better idea I am all ears."

"That…sword on its back is known as a Railblade, I believe its reserves are empty, if we can recharge it…"

"Leave it to me," the imposter instantly started looking for Nora, spotting her beneath a wooden structure with a wounded Ren. "Use that durability of yours to keep it busy and I'll get that sword powered." She leaned in uncomfortably close. "Don't worry any cutie," she winked, "your secret is safe with me, hope you've been having fun of your own on the other side."

Ember did not know what to say, only nodding before rushing back into the fray unarmed, his gunlance having joined the weapon of his father imprisoned within the Alpha Grimm.

 **Not Far…**

"Nora!" Ren called out, eager to rush back into the fight only to be held back by her indomitable strength. "Let go! I have to…"

Nora backhanded him across the face; it was not hard but stern as she looked away while snapping him back to his senses.

"No," she whispered quietly. "I won't let you kill yourself like this. After EVERYTHING we've been through, I won't let it end…not like this!"

Ren didn't know how to react, Nora was so often the bubbly, cheerful one of the group since those days and now she had become the calm voice of reason. He felt ashamed, realizing what it would have done to her if he died. Hesitantly, he reached into his robe, pulling out a short curved dagger. It had been his father's, the one thing he took from Kuroyuri other than the clothes on his back. Determination formed back on his face that was now tempered, controlled unlike before and he nodded to his friend, though she was far more than that to him and they both knew it.

"We can do this!" She asserted without the slightest hesitation in her voice. "We…"

"Hey, sweeties." The two turned, gasping at the black eyes that stared back into them hanging upside down atop the wooden structure they hid beneath. "Need one of your little injectors," she held out her hands to Nora. "Post haste, pretty please."

"Where is Olivia?" Ren narrowed his eyes towards her, recognizing the same that had threatened him in the previous village. "If you hurt…"

"She's fine, taking a nap, and unless you want to join her permanently I SUGGEST you hand one over…NOW!"

Nora reached into her pack, producing on filled with lightning dust, Hildie snatched it in a flash before she could react.

"Thank you kindly! Oh, we're gonna be borrowing that sword stuck out of its back so if you two could provide us cover after your make-out session that'd be great." With that final word she disappeared, the orphans of that dead town rushing out to rejoin the battle all the while Ren kept an eye on their possessed friend.

"Don't you turn your back on me!" Ember caught a hoof strike intended for Qrow, twisting hard with all the strength he could muster to drag the Grimm off its feet to the ground. "You've held onto that sword long enough."

"Bird boy!" Hildie shouted as she threw the dust injector towards him. The older huntsman caught it one-handed, confused until he saw her eyes dart towards the Railblade he fully recognized. He realized their plan in a moment.

As the abomination of a horse was still struggling under Ember's weakening grip, Qrow leapt with hands outreached towards the blade. He got ahold of it, ramming the injector into the handle with a satisfying surge of energy. The injector emptied as a line of blue light thrummed to life up the length of the blade. He hooked his finger to pull the trigger…

All the wind was knocked out of Qrow Branwen as a black fist buried itself in his gut. He barely had time to transform into a bird as he was thrown clear, lessening his impact and allowing a quicker recovery. Simultaneously, the horned mask bit down hard on Ember's shoulder, eliciting a scream as the pressure crunched his armor painfully into his flesh, the force of the bending insufficient to activate his aura.

 _It crumpled even this metal?_

He did not have time to think more as the Nuckelavee snapped its head, sending him flying through the nearby building, causing the weakened frame to crumble down around him in a great plume of smoke and debris. Jaune was the next to try for it, slicing the fire dust edges of his sword against an arm with a mighty explosion that once again failed to leave a mark. As the rest he was driven back along with renewed assaults by Qrow, it knew what they were aiming for though not why it was important.

Hildie was up next, striking the rear haunch to draw its attention. Ren jumped over her head, slashing with one of his weapons and the dagger of his father.

"Out of my way!" Hildie growled, kicking her supposed ally in the chest and throwing him clear. Bounding over him, she brought down the mace along with the last of her fire dust into the monster's head. A single horn snapped from the explosion, scorching the rest of its mask. She did not get another chance as it checked her with its equine body.

She somersaulted as best she could, colliding with Ren who caught her as Qrow and Jaune did their best to get closer to no avail.

"Bring back Olivia," Ren commanded, the black eyes still sending shivers through him. That is not your body!"

"It's as much mine as hers," her voice hissed. "This is hardly the time."

Ren's grip tightened, his tone grew harsh and menacing.

"Bring…her back, you can't just…"

The SMG of Jackal was suddenly pressed to Ren's forehead, with his aura already weakened as it was he could not guarantee it could stop a round from so close.

"I'm not going back," she announced, for the first time looking truly terrified. "The boss is probably already getting a little taste of what I went through in…that place. I WON'T go back, if you try I will keep the promise I made in the…"

Hildie's arm was pulled away and locked behind her back, the weapon fired off its rounds harmlessly into the stone. Nora had spotted their altercation and rushed to intervene; Olivia's conquered body could not hope to match her in strength. Quickly, as she raged for freedom, Ren pressed his hand onto her forehead, narrowly avoiding an attempt to bite him.

"NO! Let me go! I'm NOT GOING BACK, YOU CAN'T SEND ME BACK…NOT…th…not the…"

All color drained from Hildie's face as Ren's semblance took effect, suppressing her emotions. In a normal person that would have been the end of it, they would be calm and at peace without the outward emotions that would attract the Grimm. For Hildie, however, it was different. Her eyes drooped and rolled into the back of her head, strength left her arms as her weapons clattered to the ground. As the seconds passed, she went completely limp in Nora's arms, completely catatonic, her hair receding back to a dirty blonde.

"Wh…what did you do to her?" Nora asked, still oblivious to the transfer of ownership that had occurred within her friend's body.

"Hopefully given Olivia a fighting chance, get her somewhere safe," he called out as he rushed back to the battle. Hopefully, they would survive and give Olivia somewhere safe to wake up to.

 **Across the field…**

Jaune fell to one knee, barely holding back the latest swing of the Nuckelavee's powerful arms. The dust in his sword was spent; it was heavier and sharper with the sheath enhancements yet still failed to pierce the Grimm's flesh. Qrow continued to open a second front, yet it was apt at fighting multiple angles. Not even the older huntsman could make a dent despite Harbinger's transformation into its scythe form raking across its body where he could.

With a final push of Adrenaline, Jaune parried the arm to the side denting the ground. With a roar he buried his sword into it, pinning the appendage to the ground. With all his strength he held fast, denying the use of that limb.

Ren was up next, bounding over him to hook his blades around another and using his full body weight to drag it down. With the two remaining limbs locked up fighting Qrow, it was wide open but Nora was still across the field. They would need to hold it still until she…

A plume of debris erupted from the far roof as Ember launched himself, finally having extricated himself from the building. Sailing through the air, he landed squarely on the Grimm's unprotected back, gripping the handle tightly with both hands.

"This is for dad," he whispered before pulling the trigger.

A burst of electricity shimmered up the blade as it split down the middle, revealing the experimental railgun within. In less than a heartbeat, the projectile fired, propelled by the electromagnets running up its length within at incredible velocities. Being already lodged within the Nuckelavee, the reaction was instantaneous, blasting the monster apart and bisecting the rider from its steed. The explosion blinded everyone present; the limbs being restrained slumped down and began to dissolve into the air along with the equine half now devoid of its master.

The formerly conjoined rider was not far, trying to drag itself away with its one remaining arm, its mask wailing in pain and rage. It did not get far; as it neared the tree line, a green blade impaled its final hand to the ground, denying its escape. The broken mask gazed up at the young Lie Ren, his eyes focused, angry, yet calm at the nightmare that haunted his dreams since he was a child. He cradled his father's blade tightly, resolved to finish it.

"For everyone…"

The Grimm opened its mask to scream again yet never got a chance to, in a flash the heirloom dagger ran across its black throat, taking the head clean off as the substance had already started to decay. With its final death, the body burst like a cloud, the black plume rising into the air higher than they'd ever seen before being taken by the soft breeze.

"We…did it?" Qrow asked, glancing side to side. Jaune was kneeling weakly on his sword, Nora had tackled Ren with joy and Olivia's body was still slumped against the nearby wall. At the sight of a shattered gunlance lying among the rubble, he realized a certain black-armored individual was missing along with the sword of his old friend. "Ruby!"

Qrow sprinted around the building where he had spotted her when flying in, fearing the worst. The panic died down as he spotted his niece still where they left her. She was battered and bruised but her breathing had calmed, the discolored purple flesh receding. The young huntress looked up, her silver eyes locking onto her uncle.

"He…left."

"What?"

"He ran off…that way," she pointed weakly. Qrow rushed to where she pointed, unable to locate any sign of him as before. With a silent curse he kicked the ground, only then spotting something clearly fresh amid the nature-consumed stonework.

A small book, scuffed with a shredded binding bound in dyed gold leather. Had Ember dropped it?

"Twin Worlds: The Birth of an Age?" He read aloud, feeling a twinge of guilt that he knew much more of what they faced than the others as he returned to Ruby, tucking the book away. "When we get out of here kiddo, I need to tell you all a few things."

"HEY! OVER HERE!"

Carrying Ruby with ease, Qrow Branwen rounded the corner, the welcome sight of a pair of Mistral airships setting down in the center of Kuroyuri. A squad of officers rushed out, checking the wounded group with special attention to Olivia who refused to stir.

"Sir," the commander called to Qrow as he flashed his Huntsman badge granting authority. "What happened here?"

"We can explain en route, do you have medical supplies onboard? The young man swiftly nodded.

They loaded up, made sure all were accounted for and boarded the ship for Mistral, taking off and leaving the dead city behind. Olivia was given a bed, but no matter what they tried she would not wake. Ruby leaned up against a door, completely against lying down. She had just started feeling a bit livelier if only just and did not want to go to sleep just yet. Nora and Ren were leaning against one another with their legs dangling out of the ship. They had always been close, but now their interlocked hands betrayed something new that hadn't been there before.

"How did you find us so fast?"

"That explosion lit up the sky and that cloud was hard to miss, no one has been out here for years. We'll head into the city, Bravo Team will continue on the patrol and make sure there aren't anymore." With a nod, the sister patrol ship turned from the others and headed back out into the untamed terrain.

The older huntsman was tired, hours flying after the wrong target then having to double time it back after the other kids had him sighing in relief. Before he could reach for his trusty flask, Ruby's hand found his, squeezing weakly with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks Uncle Qrow."

"That guy didn't hurt you did he?" He looked her up and down again for any injuries he missed. "Before we…?"

Ruby shook her head. "He…helped me; he never hurt me even a little. I don't think he wanted to."

"I find that hard to believe," he crossed his arms defensively. "Look what his buddy did to you."

"He apologized for that."

"Come again squirt?"

"He apologized for what the other one did. I…saw Cinder."

"What, how?"

"It is…a long story." She smile weakly, her mind still torn between what she wanted to do and what she was capable of doing.

Qrow let out a soft chuckle at the familiar phrase and words of his niece, reaching into his coat he pulled out the book he had found below. "Well, we have a while. How about you give a good long story…and I'll share one to all of you I should have told before you left Patch.

 **Bravo Team…**

The squad lay unconscious scattered about the cramped interior of the patrol ship, a shape in black armor dropping the last to the floor. It had been simple enough to double back once the ships arrived, stow away onboard and abscond with one of the two ships. Ember dabbed at his brow, thankful he had selected the ship directed to head back out on patrol. Taking control, he turned the vessel from its path to a new heading.

 _I can drop them off near a village on the way and let them sleep off the headaches they are sure to have. I have to get back as soon as possible, before Salem can do anything else to her…_

 **The final battle has ended, Ember returns empty handed to his Maiden as Olivia wrestles with her inner demons. Not all is finished in Patch, Menagerie and Atlas as the remainder of our heroes set off on their paths to Haven. Volume 4 concludes next chapter and until then as always I hope everyone Reads and Reviews…but most of all Enjoys! :D**


	12. Reunions and Consequences

**Natalie: lol thanks, I'll have a hiatus before moving on to Vol. 5 but will definitely continue the story. Funny enough I have been pondering a ship for Olivia, that would be funny with Oscar considering they BOTH have someone in their heads. So far most have wanted me to pair her with Neo due to their friendship in Volumes 2 and 3.**

 **Zetsu-Bunshin: But of course, the weapon is over a decade old. As if the good doctor could be seen working alongside someone with such an…antiquated design XD**

 **Lelouch of Zero: I am so glad you liked Hildie, I'll admit I was worried having a split personality might not have come off well with my portrayal. I hope you enjoy this one.**

 **Also wanted to warn everyone only reading Haven Lost, that I will be closing this story after this chapter. But worry not, for the story will continue in the original version; RWBY Heroes: A Double-Edged Sword, to keep the volumes together.**

 **And with that…ONTO THE SHOW!**

Esmerelda sighed as the tea started to whistle, quickly removing it from the stove. They had made a hasty retreat back to the Belladonna house after the mutual attacks on the rooftop. Apparently Yuma and the spider girl weren't the only White Fang agents active that night. A chameleon faunus acquaintance of Blake's by the name of Ilia had attacked, catching Sun with her weapon after his aura was depleted fighting all in the hopes of retrieving her scroll.

 _If only I'd gotten a chance to talk to Yuma,_ she mused while pouring the tea into the pot. _What did they do to him that he just assumed the worst?_

Fortunately, as the Chieftain of Menagerie, Blake's parents had access to a full security detail and medical supplies. It had looked bad at first; Sun twisting in his sleep and sweating profusely while Blake changed his bandages. It hadn't been until the moon disappeared from the night sky before he started to calm, finally stabilizing and drifting off into an undisturbed sleep.

Esmerelda laid a cup of tea beside her grandmother sleeping on a nearby sofa before hefting the tray towards the door to find the others. Considering how things were and the doubtless knowledge that she had ferried Esmerelda away as a child she was no longer safe. After a few trips with escorts, she had taken all the essentials from their house and settled into the Belladonna manor. For the foreseeable future…it was to be their home.

"Too much water, it dilutes the flavor."

Esmerelda turned, her grandmother sitting up straight as if she hadn't been sleeping at all sipping on the tea.

"I'm out of practice; Mr. Belladonna said your room will be ready by tonight."

"That is a relief," Odette cracked her back loudly and stretched out her wings. "I'm not as young as I used to be, the days of sleeping in unorthodox places are long behind me. And you picked up a few skills to supplement the loss," she poked her cane towards her granddaughter. "I saw the uniform on the floor…anything you want to talk about?"

Esmerelda glanced back, heart beating faster than ever. Odette didn't look angry or upset, merely stern as she awaited an answer.

"Did you tell the Belladonnas?"

"No, it is not my secret to reveal. What happened?"

Esmerelda laid the tray down, slumping next to her with a sigh. Officially speaking she shouldn't be telling anyone her mission, but she was her grandmother and was now involved, she deserved to know.

"I'm…an Atlas Specialist now nana, at least still in training."

"Mhm," was her only response, still listening intently.

"The White Fang were at Beacon. They let these mutated versions of Grimm inside that caused havoc. I fought alongside General Ironwood but it wasn't enough."

"I heard the news, utterly despicable."

"We were worried that the White Fang division of Menagerie may have been a part of the attack. The General requested that I…"

"Spy on us to ensure we were truly not part of Mr. Taurus' little splinter cell? I suppose that was the real reason you came back after all this time."

"Nana!" She looked truly hurt. "I didn't lie about being worried! I just," she paused, "didn't tell you everything."

"Anything else you haven't told me? Are your teammates you wrote about hiding around here somewhere too?"

Esmerelda lowered her head. "They aren't with Atlas; I don't even know where they are right now." She cupped her head in her hands, frustrated beyond words. "Everything just went so wrong after Beacon. My team was split up, and Horatio, he…" She bit back tears remembering them; Olivia's endless spunk, Roland's goofy jokes and Horatio's indomitable nature. "I don't want that to happen EVER again, not if I can do something!"

"Not as cut and dry as you hoped it would be?"

"Everything was so right before, so disciplined! I hoped that no one was with The White Fang when coming here! I could see you, spend some time together then go back. I prayed that they weren't active here, I never imagined Yuma would ever…I'm so sorry nana."

Her grandmother leaned forward, wiping away the fringes of tears forming in her eyes pressing past her military discipline, sitting back with a stern smile.

"I learned long ago that things are seldom as simple or organized as we would like. Raising you taught me that," she laid a hand on her lap. "What matters is what we do to make things work. I won't say a word, but the Belladonnas are good people…though you didn't hear it from me."

Esmerelda laid her hand atop her grandmother's, not knowing what else to say. It made her miss the many years they had been apart communicating over the weak scroll signals she could occasionally receive.

"Well, that is enough nonsensical rambling for one day, I am sure your friends would love some of your leaf water…off with you now before it gets cold."

 **Somewhere Else…**

"They aren't like that, they aren't," Olivia muttered over and over, seeing the memories pass her by again. Once more the sinister belief behind the kind smiles was evident here, bringing into question all that she knew.

"Doubt it, but it sure sucks to be surrounded by it 24/7 huh?" Olivia turned slowly, spotting the familiar silhouette in the distance which was her own, the only difference being the silver hair and black eyes as it stepped forward.

"You!" She stood to her feet, taking a stance.

"Calm down boss, if anyone is going to be angry it's me. Your 'friend' followed through on his offer. When I get out of here I'll be sure to…"

"Don't you dare! I saw everything; you were insane, chaotic, out of control! Just like always."

"That's it," Hildie beckoned towards her. "Finally some negativity bleeding through, ready to act like a normal human? Get a little angry?"

Olivia came swinging, catching Hildie in the right cheek before kneeing her in the gut and driving her doppelganger to a knee. The next blow was caught, twisting her arm and ramming the huntress into a wall that wasn't there before.

"All those years, I was stuck in here," she whispered harshly into Olivia's ear. "Every foul thought that ever crossed your head came my way; you left me down here until you needed me. Needed your semblance you don't even understand."

Olivia head-butted her, giving some breathing space as she caught Hildie with a spinning kick to send her reeling to the ground.

"I understood enough!" She shouted. "To see into people's minds, I don't want that!"

Hildie started to laugh, a short, croaking laughter that sent chills up her spine. "Seeing thoughts is only a portion," she grinned at her counterpart's confusion. "You gave up the moment it got scary."

She swung an uppercut Olivia leaned back to avoid, the two throwing a series of punches and kicks that, unbeknownst to them, mirrored one another. Left, right, uppercut, kidney punch, they traded blow for blow, neither catching up.

"Absolute Perception," Hildie remarked amid their rain of attacks. "That is what I called it, nothing escapes it. You used me to track loverboy way back when to the island. Did you really think you could just sense where he was?"

"Shut up!"

"Air currents, could tell where they were most traveled through disturbances on the map, best chance for the island to be there. Same way you followed…Ember here. Minute clues here and there, nothing leaves absolutely no trace, it's impossible."

Despite growing angrier and angrier as Hildie seemed to grow calmer, Olivia listened intently. Her curiosity at the side of herself she had buried growing by the moment.

"Perceiving thoughts, that's the key," Hildie concluded. "Being able to see what they are thinking base on facial features, glances, even the way they move. A sixth sense that lets you perceive their thoughts and opens the door to…adjust them appropriately."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Olivia wound back her hand, delivering a stronger punch. The attack struck Hildie's cheek who did not so much as budge from the impact.

"To show what you missed out on," she glared back around her fist. "I had a bad feeling about that Fall girl, even that Ray despite her charity saving our life and how much you two had fun. Of course I had a bad feeling about everyone, we could have…"

"I told you," Olivia gritted her teeth. "I WONT take every secret of my friends; I won't…become a monster." She slumped to her knees, Hildie collapsing beside her, the two leaning beside each other utterly sapped of energy and drive.

"I guess it doesn't matter anymore," Hildie sighed. "We're BOTH down here now, how do you like having our life on rerun. Maybe with each of us here the point of view will vary somewhat…help pass the time."

Olivia had her head in her hands, pressing together as the frustration built. To be trapped in there alone with her while their body just withered out in the real world…

That thought was the start of her epiphany with those simple words, "their body."

 _She was trapped here with this all that time, how could I do that to her? How could I have known? That I could construct this place to hide her and all the emotions I didn't want away. I built this place alone, but together..._

"Hildie," Olivia started with hesitant breaths. "We shouldn't have been looking into others, perceiving their secrets back when we were together, but neither should I have done what I did."

"If you try to hug me I will find a way to kill you in here."

"What I MEAN, is that maybe, we can both try to make up for it…together."

"So NOW you want to play nice?"

"Better late than never, we both made mistakes but I am you and you are me. You see the worst and I the best in others. Perhaps we can work something out."

"And how do you propose we begin this new 'partnership?" Hildie motioned to the dark space around them. "Unless you have a key…"

"I made this place," Olivia stomped her feet surely before extending a hand to Hildie. "We don't need to escape it if we can break it down."

Her alter ego glanced down at the hand, utterly bewildered by the situation. For so long she had been trapped and after her bars had been loosened only saw Olivia as an obstacle to her own freedom. With this simple hand gesture all that was turned on its head, was it an effect of being together again, each able to see a piece of the other? It almost reminded the pessimistic side of her of their days together before everything crumbled.

"Bring the walls down around us? I like it…but what if it takes us with it?"

"It's either we try it, or stay here."

"Perhaps…an arrangement can be made," She smiled back eerily yet without a hint of malice as she took hold of Olivia's gesture, returning a powerful handshake and in that moment, it was like the old days.

The effect was immediate, cracks forming along the dark void around them like glass fracturing. The dark memories fell away to be replaced by how they actually were without bias to either end of the spectrum. Light burst forth above and rushed to meet them as if the two were being propelled upward at an incredible velocity moments before all was consumed and shattered around them.

"If this works, I'll see you in the sunlight."

 **Ferry…**

"I'm gonna miss it," Yang sighed with a content smile to Pyrrha through her sunglasses as they stood on deck watching Patch shrink into the distance.

The trio from Patch had managed to reach the ferry before the last trip of the day, at their current pace they would be at the mainland of Sanus in no time. From there, Yang claimed to know where her mother would be residing based upon her uncle's previous instructions. Roland, the man who had remained by her side was currently down below, ensuring their vehicles were still secure in transit.

"If nothing else, it will be quite the experience," Pyrrha tried to remain cheerful. "I've never been to that part of Mistral."

"Probably for the best, according to Uncle Qrow it's not very hospitable. Will you be okay with…?"

"Don't worry about me," the Spartan shifted weight from her leg. "What about you?" Yang's only response was to subtly squeeze her mechanical fist, looking down with a sigh.

"Dad wasn't kidding about our intimidation factor…"

"We will be there for each other," Pyrrha replied with certainty. "If one of our…afflictions hits us in battle then the others will make up for it. I am not as," she hesitated with a clear sign of sorrow, "agile as I once was."

"We'll have to once we reach my moth...Raven, I don't suspect convincing her to help will be easy. When we get there, just let me do all the talking, though it might be better if we save you for..."

"We are all set!" Roland called out as he emerged from below deck. "Not a hair out of place."

"Good to hear," Yang remarked back, her eyes unreadable past her glasses. "You know how touchy I can get about stray hairs."

The three stood together in the morning breeze, thoughts racing through their minds. Could they find Raven, would they get to Ruby and the others in time to help? They had not seen any of their friends since they departed Patch that cold morning before the rising sun. The nagging guilt at not being able to join them when they set out was pulling at their hearts. The unofficial team didn't know if they could do anything, but if there was a way to help they would take it. As soon as the group reached Sanus, their real journey would begin.

 **Atlas…**

The two women slipped out of the secret passage supplied by Klein who was able to accompany them. Penny crept out to examine the various aircraft in the hangar as Weiss bid farewell to the kindest soul she knew within the halls of Schnee Manor.

"I hope you find Winter," he whispered solemnly, clearly saddened to see her go despite the need for it. "Though it does an old heart good to see you in good company, I suppose your sister will be your only real family left after tonight."

Weiss laid a soft hand on his shoulder before wrapping the old butler in a strong hug, his eyes flickering several colors before he returned the gesture, holding back tears.

"I'll always have you," she whispered as he pulled away.

"That you will…now go, I'll seal up the way." With that last word, Klein closed the wall leaving no trace of the secret passage connecting it to the library.

"We can commandeer one of these," Penny pointed out a line of cargo ships recently having docked earlier that week. "According to reports, their cargo has already been unloaded."

"Don't you have a ship Penny?" Weiss asked as she looked over the old but still capable airships.

"The General's is secured nearby, but all Atlas vessels are closely monitored and I do not wish to involve him any more in our escape. Once we…"

"Who is there?" A gruff voice from the shadows caused the two girls to jump. Emerging from the far end of the room was a helmeted man. Based on his uniform he was a Schnee dust security officer rather than military.

 _I thought Klein made sure the guards were away, were we too loud or did he just come back early for his shift?_

"It is alright officer," Penny bowed politely, standing between him and Weiss and thinking fast. "I am taking inventory and…"

"Who is behind you?" He approached; hand on the pistol at his hip. Penny was very recognizable and he became apprehensive as soon as he spotted the artificial girl. "Show yourself or I'll be forced to…"

Weiss stepped out hesitantly from behind her, leaving the briefcase behind to avoid some suspicion. She stood tall and resolute at the man who looked very confused.

"I do believe I can roam about my own home!" She announced confidently.

"M-Ms. Schnee!" He stuttered; hand still on his firearm in its holster. "I did not hear from Mr. Schnee that you were allowed out of your room yet!"

"It was recent but I am feeling much better now."

"I-I'm sorry ma'am," he stuttered, clearly nervous beyond all words. "But we had STRICT orders until Mr. Schnee himself said so for your health. Please come with me, I don't want to…"

A loud thud sent the guard falling to the ground, another man standing behind twirling a helmet revealing his features.

"Cam!" Penny exclaimed with joy, stepping over the knocked out guard to give him a tight hug.

"I got the call," he smiled as he returned the embrace. "We should be able to fly low and stay off their radar for a few hours. After that we'll be free and clear. How have you been Weiss?"

"Just…fine," she replied, having not expected the young man to be there as well. She remembered Penny's pronouncement of his status at the party, yet had not seen him since the battle. "You should probably leave before…"

"Nonsense, if you think I'm staying behind while Penny goes who knows where, you've got another thing coming." Penny blushed at his words. "Besides, I already got this one here all prepped, come on."

The three boarded an Atlesian cargo ship Cameron had procured awaiting their arrival. Within a matter of seconds the experienced pilot had the engines spooling ready for takeoff.

"Won't anyone miss this ship?" Weiss asked, noticing the cargo still on board despite Penny's previous assertions.

"Don't feel bad," he called back over the machinery powering up. "They were smuggling everything, officially none of this manifest exists. If they want to report illegal goods they can be my guest."

Weiss took a seat in the cockpit behind Cam and Penny who was acting as his co-pilot. She made one last glance backwards at her home as the ship took off through the hangar doors leaving her old life behind. No alarm had been raised and as Cameron said, it did not appear that the sensors had picked them up. By the time anyone noticed or scrambled pursuit they'd be well on course for the mainland.

 _Winter…please wait a little bit longer._

 **Elsewhere…**

Olivia shot up in bed, gasping as her eyes adjusted to the ambiance around her. It wasn't long before she felt arms around her, telling who it was by the voice before seeing.

"Which one are you?" Nora asked, pulling her eyes open wide to check. She sighed in relief at the realization they were both their normal white and pink coloration again.

"Wh-where?" Olivia asked groggily, realizing she was in a rather sizable bed changed into unfamiliar pajamas.

"Mistral City," Ren informed, appearing beside his teammate. "We arrived last night and are quite safe. Are you alright?" He motioned towards her head.

Olivia scanned the room, spotting Jaune asleep in the corner and Ruby resting in the neighboring bed. Her shoulder was bare to reveal an ugly scar where the stinger had struck but the poison had receded, the purple veins nearly gone. She was sleeping peacefully, though her face looked deep in thought even in dreams. Olivia leaned back in her bed, glancing up to Ren. Finally, she grabbed a nearby mirror, fingers running through her locks at what she saw.

Her hair was swirled dirty blonde and platinum silver, neither color taking up more than the other. If those who saw it were unaware of what occurred, it would appear completely natural.

"I…we are fine," she replied to their collective confusion.

"There is A LOT to fill in," Nora held her arms out wide after a moment of awkward silence, holding out a small gold book. "Mr. Qrow just left; he had a BIG story to tell. Once the others are awake we can go over it…"

Olivia sighed; the hair coupled with her understandable annoyance at the ruckus so soon after waking being all the proof she needed to tell their plan had worked. That dark sealed portion of her mind was gone, she was whole and the young sniper of Team HERO was not alone. As Nora and Ren turned to check on Ruby, Olivia's eye flickered black for a half a moment before returning to normal.

 **One for all eh boss? Maybe we can work something out after all…**

"Maybe we can," she whispered, drawing the attention of the others. "You guys should know, but before then I never told any of you my full name did I?" They looked to each other uncertain as they thought they had known. "It's Olivia…Olivia Hildegarde Ramus."

 **Menagerie…**

Esmerelda carried the tray, making her way towards the study where Sun was recovering. Blake absolutely refused to leave his side; she was certain some tea no matter how watery would be welcome. Reaching out, she was about to open the door until she heard raised voices inside.

"SHUT UP!" it was clearly Blake. "Do you think I like being alone? Every day…every day I think about them. Ruby, Weiss, Yang, everyone at Beacon, they were all my friends! I hope they hate me for leaving!"

"You don't mean that," she heard Sun's voice, releasing a pent up gasp that he was awake.

"Yes I do! Everyone thinks they can help me but they can't. You saw Ilia last night and she's not even the worst! No, everyone is better off without me."

"Does that include your parents too?" Sun's voice was oddly calm. Esmerelda could not help but press her ears against the door to hear better. "Don't think I didn't put two and two together why you came back here…I'm not as dumb as you think."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on Blake, you run away from your friends supposedly to keep them safe but then go right to your parents who think the world of you? Only one reason I can think of if you weren't lying…you came to say goodbye before leaving them behind too didn't you?"

Esmerelda pressed her eye into the door, trying to look through the keyhole out of rabid curiosity from Blake's silence.

"You think you're being selfless but you're not. You're running from everyone trying to protect them, but I'd go through last night all over again if it meant keeping you safe. You make your choices but you DON'T make ours. And hey, the next time we face lizard girl, I won't be doing it for you…it'll be to get even."

Esmerelda heard a grunt of pain before a giggle from Blake, causing her to do a double take.

"Did she just…?"

"Ssshh, I can't hear."

Esmerelda turned; she had been so focused on the door she didn't realize that both Ghira and Kali Belladonna were behind her. The feline mother leaned forward, pressing beside Esmerelda into the door.

"What is she saying?"

"My hero…" they heard Blake mutter several seconds before Kali's added weight proved too much to bear.

The door caved in, sending Esmerelda and Blake's mother crashing to the ground. Somehow, the lancer of Team HERO managed to keep the tray of tea upright. Recovering, they realized that Sun and Blake were watching them with exasperated expressions, completely forgetting they were clasping each other's hands.

"O-oh dear!" Kali jumped to her feet, falling into a cutesy expression as if the collapse hadn't happened "Would you look at that, he's awake…thank goodness!" She ended with a very awkward smile from which there was no recovery.

"Kali please…" Ghira groaned, clearly embarrassed beyond words as Esmerelda staggered to her feet, glancing every which way as if every other corner of the study was incredibly fascinating.

"MOM!" She called out embarrassed. "Ezzy! What are you doing here?"

"Hey Mrs. B," Sun looked no less shy over his shirtless and bandaged state among the group.

"Well, your father and I needed to speak with all of you. It is perfect everyone is here at the same time."

Ghira Belladonna laid a scroll in the center of the room, clearly having broken its security measures to reveal its contents.

"You were right Blake; Adam Taurus is planning an attack on Haven Academy. According to this scroll he is meeting with Sienna Khan to seek her support. It could be the fall of Beacon all over again"

"I can't believe Sienna would go that far," Kali interjected, remembering her old misguided friend.

"We can stop them, if we destroy the White Fang once and for all," Sun chimed in. His face was full of determination.

"No," Blake announced, standing to her feet and glancing at the collected room. "We're going to take it back."

Esmerelda could not help but smirk back.

 _If we can stop the White Fang without destroying them…then Yuma might…_

"Ahem," Esmerelda called attention to herself with a sigh. "Before then, there is something I feel you all should know about me and I am sorry I kept it secret until now."

 **Salem's Domain…**

Fire slashed outward again and again; one by one Grimm of the largest breeds fell before her, disintegrating in an instant.

Cinder scowled, how many hours did Salem have her in that room cutting down her creations over and over? She educated the new Maiden that continued use of her powers would acclimate her to their usage as well as simultaneously strengthening them, but she was getting tired; even lifting her arms was now a strain. She had started the training creating weapons of all varieties made of fire, ice even earth. As the hours dragged on her energy had waned, now she had barely enough strength for the simplest of attacks.

Four Beowolves advanced on Cinder behind their brethren she had just vaporized. They were no mere run of the mill Grimm, the green crystals growing from their backs gave away Merlot's handiwork. He had been quite busy for his new patron over the many months.

Cinder remembered the fight so long ago against Merlot and his creations, her fury was rekindled in an instant coupled with the uncertainty of her knight's fate since the receptacle had been destroyed on his end. That had been days ago with no word. With a painful grunt she swiped her left sleeve in their direction, a blade of flame burst forth bisecting all of them horizontally at the stomach. The assembled Grimm crumbled to ash before their pieces hit the ground.

Cinder was panting hard by now past the point of exhaustion. Salem had spent the entire training watching in silence from the corner of the room, judging every move she made with her blood-red eyes.

 _How much longer is she planning to…?_

A roar snapped the woman out of her thoughts; a massive Beringel emerged from the shadowy corners of the room, an enormous fist aimed squarely at her face. Merlot's work could be seen here as well though subtly as green varicose veins wormed across its face from a green crystal replacing its left eye.

Cinder raised her hand; she had maybe enough strength for one more blast, just one more…

Before she could harness the power, the doors to the arena burst open followed closely by a trail of blue light. The Beringel exploded before reaching her, its charred corpse crashing to the ground in a heap. Salem turned to the door, a look of utter annoyance growing across her face, her eyes bright red in the dim light.

Ember was the first to enter, laying his still-smoking Railblade, Excaliburn as it was called, to the side and casting away his broken helmet. He did not even glance at Salem as he rushed to Cinder's side, catching his Maiden before her legs gave out from exhaustion, easing her gently to the ground.

"I missed you," he whispered only for her to hear.

Cinder opened her mouth, a hoarse rasp escaping her lips. After a brief respite to allow her breathing to return to normal, Ember helped her to her feet. He knew her better than to do something foolish and unnecessary like trying to carry her.

"Welcome home Ember," Salem greeted, having restrained her scowl at his interruption of Cinder's training. "It is reassuring to see you home once more. Please wait outside and we may discuss your mission; Cinder and I have more to do before the day is done."

Ember inhaled deeply as he turned to face Salem. Cinder leaned on him only as much as she needed to remain on her feet, avoiding eye contact with her master in black.

 _She doesn't want to defy Salem…that can be my duty._

"It…has been so long since I've seen her, your Grace," he started; choosing his words carefully while suppressing his disdain for how obviously beaten down Cinder appeared to be. "I beg an early reprieve from the day's training."

"That will slow her growth," Salem stressed, her scowl starting to reform. "Young Cinder has been holding back, she must utilize her powers as much as possible in as many ways as she can conceive their use to strengthen them and temper her mastery."

"And she will far more now that I have returned," he promised. "I can think of no better training partner than one who is immune to injury. You need not sacrifice so many of your creations that way."

Salem raised an eyebrow at him, eyes narrowing towards the obvious marks around his neck from the battle. "You would weather her fury each and every day to reinforce her power?"

Ember turned to face Cinder as he answered. "If it helps her…I will gladly face all her wrath for as long as necessary."

 _It wouldn't be the first time._

Salem's wicked smile widened at his words. "Very well, in that case you are free to…"

A sobbing sniffling could be heard from the door as Tyrian shuffled in, rubbing his hands together nervously. Upon seeing Salem he threw himself to his knees before her, bowing as low as he could. Salem's hunter had arrived shortly before Ember yet was so fearful at how his goddess would react he had delayed to contemplate how to explain their failure.

"I'm sorry…she'll forgive me…not my fault," he was still babbling as he had the entire way back to the Keep. "Pleeeaaseee forgive me."

"Tyrian," Salem acknowledged his presence. "We may go over it now, your task…were you both successful?"

Tyrian looked at Salem but avoided her eyes; he looked like a puppy that had just been kicked.

"N-no," he finally answered, dropping his gaze to the floor.

Salem turned to face Ember; surprisingly she did not appear angry or enraged. Rather her features relaxed as if she had expected this outcome. Her eyes appeared no less annoyed, however.

"Qrow Branwen was with them," Ember explained calmly, filing his report rather than groveling as Tyrian did. "He expected an attack on the children and was watching nearby, together they were…somewhat formidable."

"Yet you escaped with the girl," Salem revealed her knowledge of his last conversation with Cinder. "How exactly did a bunch of children and one Huntsman best you?" Her tone was stern yet collected, reigning in anger that would put Cinder's wrath to shame.

Ember recounted the battle, leaving out no details save for his application of the anti-venom or the swiftness of his withdrawal after claiming Excaliburn. Cinder's hand clenched angrily over his like a vice at the mention that Ruby had been left behind, but softened after several seconds as the fury washed past her.

"So the girl is dead then? She was to be returned here alive…"

"I did not remain behind to confirm her status," Ember answered, praying she could not actually read minds. "The Alpha Grimm had claimed my weapon and exhausted me while Qrow Branwen arrived as the others were ready to continue…"

Salem's hand flew outward, summoning a great pit of blackness beneath Ember's feet. In a flash, dozens of black arms seized him, dragging the struggling knight to the ground. Despite his best efforts, he could not resist them as several pulled Cinder from his shoulder.

"That was the only reason you withdrew?" She asked harshly yet with a calm voice. Tyrian had held his ground yet was trembling uncontrollably, surely imagining the same fate befalling him. "And surely nothing to do with your previous allegiances?"

"I…could not guarantee an escape with her," he gasped in pain, the arms squeezing tightly around his neck, generating insufficient force to engage his semblance. "So I made a tactical retreat while I could."

Salem glared back at him, seemingly ready to continue until she heard a poof of flame behind her. Glancing over her shoulder she spotted an exhausted, panting Cinder standing on her own two feet. The orange flame of her powers flickering in the remaining eye. The ruler of the Grimm let a slight smirk through her terrifying image. With the most nonchalant of motions, she lowered her hand, the pool of arms receding with it.

"The last eye is distracted then," Salem mused, eliciting a quizzical stare from Ember as he recovered gasping on the floor, this time it was Cinder who helped him. He had not heard her refer to an eye before. "You both…disappoint me. Though I am not the one to whom you must explain your failings," Salem's eyes darted to Cinder for an instant. With those last words she glided from the room, leaving the three alone.

Tyrian did not take her proclamation well, after Salem left tears streamed down his face, he was screaming more manically than Ember had ever heard. Based on the disturbed expression on Cinder's face, it was the worst she had ever seen too.

A single Alpha Beowolf remained in the training arena, no doubt attracted by the intense emotions from Tyrian it roared, leaping at the sobbing Faunus and ignoring the others.

Tyrian howled as if in agony; tears still streaming down his face as he punched the Grimm with his wrist blades. The beast flew across the room; the hunter was on it in an instant punching again and again. Each attack was meant to cause pain, not death and as a result the Beowolf did not disintegrate, trapped beneath his psychotic flurries. Tyrian's sobs slowly twisted, transforming into crazed laughter masking his pain, the tears never stopping as he continued mercilessly beating the defeated Grimm. Ember released Cinder, allowing her to stand on her own two feet once more. Despite her head shakes he approached the tormented faunus, reaching out with a hand.

"Tyrian…" he started, his hand clasping gently to the man's shoulder.

Tyrian spun in a blink, burying his wrist blade squarely into Ember's face. Mercifully the battered Beowolf beneath him began to crumble as it passed away. Ember's power had saved him, the blade pressing against his cheek but not piercing though his aura crackled gold at the blow. Cinder had taken several steps forward but stopped upon seeing him unharmed.

Tyrian's tears had stopped but remained glistening on his face, screaming, he took a second swing with his other hand striking Ember's gut. Cinder's knight allowed enough force through for Tyrian's blow to push him back slightly; he'd need some sort of gratification. The faunus swung again and again, his blows having no effect after the first few attacks. Ember did not keep track of how long Tyrian unleashed his blind unfocused barrage, but he continued over and over. Cinder stared on, clearly unsure how to react; Ember could not be harmed by such brutish simplistic attacks, despite knowing this fact she did not wish to witness it.

After a time, Tyrian's arms began to slow, drenched in sweat from the exertions. The scorpion-faunus just stared into Ember's eyes, his own as wide open as his body would allow them. He had stopped swinging but was still pushing forward with all his remaining strength, he was somewhat calmer than before…somewhat.

"Better?" Ember asked.

Tyrian did not reply, only collapsing to his knees once more, his sobs reduced to short sniffles, he looked utterly broken. Ember could think of nothing to comfort him, the woman he saw as a Goddess had just voiced her utter displeasure in him, he understood that pain to an extent. He patted his traveling companion's shoulder softly before turning back to Cinder.

"Let's get out of here," Ember whispered, helping her out of the arena all the while ensuring he was between Tyrian and her. He truly felt sorry for the man, was there nothing he could do for him? His mind was bent to Salem's will long ago.

Cinder would need rest and he was mentally drained as well. Ember started towards her room hoping he remembered the layout of the Keep.

"I didn't expect her to send me away so soon," he explained apologetically for his absence once they were in the halls outside. "If she tries putting you through anything else I swear I'll…"

Cinder stopped in her tracks when they were far enough from the arena, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Ember did the same; he had missed her so much. She was the strongest woman he knew but around Salem she had no power. Unless he could find a true trump card she would never be free.

 _The power of the four Maidens, that would be a good start. But what will I have to do by then, Olivia…your eyes are as terrifying as Ruby's were._ His solemn thoughts turned to joy as Cinder opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't…leave…EVER again. THAT is an order." The words were clear for the first time since the Battle at Beacon. Tears welled in Ember's eyes at hearing her real voice after so long.

"Never again," he swore, deepening their embrace, the conflicted contemplation pushed aside for that night. "Not even by Salem's command."

They finally reached Cinder's room; ever the gentleman, Ember opened the door for her.

"I…hope you sleep well, we can discuss the mission in the morning if that is to your liking. If you need anythi…"

Cinder grabbed his wrist as he turned to leave, giving him a look of mild annoyance, her voice may have been on the mend but clearly she felt nothing need be said. There was a gleam in her eyes he hadn't seen before; it was stern yet tender, much more so than since witnessing her true face back at Beacon. She did not want him to go and he had no desire to leave.

"As…you wish, my lady."

"You don't have to keep talking like that."

Without another word, the two of them clasped hands together and disappeared inside Cinder's chamber, closing the door behind them and locking it with an echoing click. Neither witnessed a pair of red eyes intently watching their exchange unseen from the shadows.

 **Mistral Crowbar…**

Qrow sighed as he slipped into the establishment, his head pounding after explaining the legends surrounding the Twin Gods and what they were working to defend at Haven. He was tired; his head pounding like a hundred Goliaths yet couldn't rest, best answer for that was another drink as his flask had run dry days before.

"The usual," he called out towards the bartender as he sat on a stool. Anytime he stopped in Mistral he always enjoyed this particular hangout. The drinks were decent; the staff were cute and never talked much, but most importantly was almost always empty. "Extra-large if you would."

"Mr. Branwen," he nodded while fixing the drink. "Didn't expect you back so soon, I guess I just lost a bet."

"Bet?" He asked only half interested as the glass slid in front of him.

"Someone's been fixing to meet you, damnedest thing I ever saw but seems he had it right." He turned towards the back near the small tables where patrons could eat. "Yo! Kid! He's here; you can stop working for five minutes!"

Qrow downed most of his drink, soft footfalls approaching from behind he pretended to ignore until they no more than a few feet away. Irritated, yet intrigued, he spun to look at the figure. It was a young man with brown hair, based on his attire he would have fit right at home on a farm or in the fields. The older huntsman guessed he couldn't be as old as Ruby at most. He wasn't ringing a bell and looked more than a little nervous.

"Well? What do you want pipsqueak?"

"Shut up, I'm getting there," the boy mumbled, apparently to no one as he glanced away before standing a little straighter and looking him dead in the eyes. "Umm, I'm supposed to tell you...I'd like my cane back?"

It was an odd statement framed as a question like the boy didn't really know if that is what he wanted. Qrow's bored face broke into the fringes of a smile, nodding understandingly as he reached beneath his cloak. The young man took a step back before realizing he had pulled out a short grey ornate handle with a white tip, the same which he had carried ever since retrieving it from Pyrrha at Patch.

"It's good to see you again Oz," he replied, tossing the short handle to him.

Oscar barely caught the object in time, whether it was intended or inadvertent, he gripped it at the right angle to cause the remainder of the cane to emerge from within. With a confused expression, he held the item that was so indicative of Headmaster Ozpin, taking one more step towards this mysterious duty he had pondered ever since first hearing that voice in his head.

"You may not be able to join in," Qrow teased as he leaned back against the bar. "But I'm not leaving here without a few more rounds…"

 **Volume 4 comes to a close; our heroes hold to their course, meet new friends and reflect on their past and futures. As before, I will be taking a hiatus to plan and rest before continuing Volume 5.** **I am uncertain how long that will be and I apologize in advance. For those enjoying the separate story Haven Lost, please keep in mind I will be closing that story and all future updates will go directly through RWBY Heroes: A Double-Edged Sword.**

 **I noticed that some characters have been liked more so I wanted to ask here for the future due to how many characters there are, are there particular characters you would prefer get more screen time than others? I'll take all input into account when designing Volume 5.**

 **A recent commission was made showcasing Ember and Cinder's actions after closing the door behind them. To find it, just search "Till the Stroke of Midnight" by AzaryaS; mature content warning before you do.**

 **A big thank you to all my fans and those enjoying these stories. As always I hope everyone Reads and Reviews…but most of all Enjoys!**


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